![International Space Station [Image credit – NASA/Crew of STS-132, Wikimedia Commons]](https://staticr1.blastingcdn.com/media/photogallery/2017/11/26/660x290/b_502x220x82/international-space-station-image-credit-nasacrew-of-sts-132-wikimedia-commons_1706793.jpg "International Space Station [Image credit – NASA/Crew of STS-132, Wikimedia Commons]")
Elon Musk is interested in space research, and his company SpaceX is engaged in carrying out resupply missions to the international space station on behalf of NASA. These consist of transporting equipment, and a wide spectrum of items to conduct different types of studies in space on subjects that range from engineering to medicine. Food supplies are also sent across when required.
Florida Today reports that SpaceX teams have arrived at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station to undertake preparatory work connected to its next mission. The teams will carry out activities related to testing of the rocket, and its systems to ensure that there will be no hiccups at the last moment.
The need for the tests
This will be the 13th launch under the Commercial Resupply Services contract of NASA. The rocket will be launched from Launch Complex 40 which had suffered damages due to an explosion in September last year. The proposed testing of the Falcon 9 rocket of SpaceX next week will reactivate the facilities.
This resupply mission is meant to transport large volumes of cargo, and science experiments for the crew of the International Space Station. The liftoff with the Dragon spacecraft is scheduled for Monday, December 4.
Elon Musk is a visionary
When NASA faced problems due to drastic budget cuts, Elon Musk came along with his SpaceX and agreed to be a part of the American space research.
His company entered into a contract to carry out resupply missions to ensure that the continuity of work on the International Space Station was not affected.
Musk loves to innovate and, in order to reduce costs, he has dreamt up the concept of reusing the rockets. The usual practice was to write-off the rocket but he has revolutionized space research by reusing them and has set a new trend.
It is a fact that space research is gaining importance because man wants to colonize the moon and mars. Musk has already set in motion activities related to the mission to Mars, and space research is an essential part of all such programs. This is because space is a totally new area that man wants to explore. For that, he has to rely on authentic data that is being generated in the International Space Station, the lab in the sky.
Moon is another target because it has a whole range of minerals that could be exploited commercially. Here again, there is a need for the involvement of humans even though robots would probably play a major role. Obviously, space is the new frontier to be conquered, and Elon Musk can make things happen.
