The Science and Tech on the Next ISS Supply Mission.

An April 7 prelaunch briefing, highlighted some of the science investigations and technology demonstrations heading to the International Space Station aboard the SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft. SpaceX is scheduled to launch the Dragon atop the company’s Falcon 9 rocket, no earlier than April 8, from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) in Florida. Among the items that Dragon will deliver is the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM) -- a technology demonstration to study the radiation protection, thermal performance and general operations of expandable habitats in space. When it returns in May, the spacecraft will bring back biological samples from ISS crewmembers, including those collected during NASA’s one-year mission. This will be the eighth contracted mission by SpaceX under NASA’s Commercial Resupply Services contract.