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NASA ordered to develop nuclear power plant for moon by 2030s
NASA is now focused on building a nuclear power plant on the moon for future lunar surface missions and to bolster national security.
SpaceX will launch a Cargo Dragon spacecraft carrying over 5,000 lbs of supplies to the International Space Station.The CRS-33 mission is scheduled to launch no earlier than 2:45 a.m. Sunday, August 24 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.The Dragon spacecraft will also boost the space station’s orbit after docking.
Welcome to FLORIDA TODAY’s live coverage of the CRS-33 mission!
This weekend the Space Coast will see a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launch a SpaceX Cargo Dragon spacecraft filled with more than 5,000 lbs. of supplies for the International Space Station.
SpaceX and NASA are aiming to launch the next resupply mission − known as CRS-33 − to the ISS no earlier than 2:45 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 24 from Launch Complex 40 in Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. As the name suggests, the mission is the 33rd resupply mission by SpaceX for NASA.
Among the supplies are food, necessities and science experiments. According to NASA, these experiments include investigations into bone loss prevention, materials for 3D-printing medical implants that may improve treatment for nerve injuries on Earth, bioprinted liver tissue to study how blood vessels develop in microgravity, and supplies to 3D print metal cubes onboard the space station.
Should the mission launch on time, the spacecraft is expected to dock to the space station’s Harmony module no earlier than 7:30 a.m. Aug. 25.
A delievery mission isn’t the only thing planned for this Dragon spacecraft. While docked, the Dragon spacecraft will use a propulsion system inside its trunk to give a boost to the space station — slightly raising its orbit over a period of time. According to NASA, these boosts will begin in September and continue throughout the fall.
Update 2:45 a.m.: The Falcon 9 has left the launch pad, carrying a Dragon spacecraft full of supplies to the ISS!
SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launch in five minutes!
Update 2:40 a.m.: The Falcon 9 first stage flying this mission is seeing its seventh mission. According to SpaceX, previous flights include two Starlink missions, O3b mPOWER-E, NASA’s Crew-10, Bandwagon-3, and O3b mPOWER-D.
We are 10 minutes from tonight’s SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launch!
Update 2:35 a.m.: The countdown clock continues to move towards the 2:45 a.m. launch.
SpaceX launch from Florida: No Space Coast sonic booms
Update 2:30 a.m.: Unlike most launches to the space station, this booster will not return to shore. Instead, the rocket’s first stage will land on the A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship, which is stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.
Update 2:25 a.m.: SpaceX’s live coverage has begun ahead of this resupply mission. The video is posted above, below the countdown clock.
Update 2:15 a.m.: SpaceX has now begun fueling ahead of the 2:45 a.m. liftoff.
SpaceX CRS-33 launch carries 3D metal printing to space
Update 2:10 a.m.: Another study by the European Space Agency is geared towards maintenance in space. The study, known as Metal 3D Printer, consists of 3D printing metal parts in microgravity.
SpaceX rocket launch in Cape Canaveral: Science on CRS-33
Update 2:00 a.m.: One experiment headed up on this mission includes an investigation into the basic mechanisms behind bone loss in microgravity.
“This research team is testing out the hypothesis that blocking a certain protein in the body that is known to promote bone loss or bone health changes may actually help reduce the overall bone loss that astronauts experience in space,” said Heidi Parris, associate program scientist for the ISS Program.
Results from this study could have an impact on medicine here on Earth, helping patients with osteoporosis and certain cancers.
Liftoff is set for 45 minutes from now from Launch Complex 40 in Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
SpaceX CRS-33 launch in Florida: Bags of tortillas launching to space!
Update 1:50 a.m.: According to NASA, 129 bulk bags of food are headed up on this mission.
14 of those bags are exclusively tortillas – 1500 tortillas to be exact. This marks the first time tortillas have their own bulk bags.
The reason NASA sends tortillas is simple – other breads have too many crumbs which become a mess in the microgravity environment of the ISS.
The food headed up on this mission also includes 33 crew specific bags, and 18 dedicated for coffee and tea.
SpaceX launch prep underway in Brevard
Update 1:40 a.m.: Brevard County Emergency Management officials have activated the agency’s launch operations support team ahead of SpaceX’s upcoming Falcon 9 launch.
8/24/2025 1:35 AM | We have activated our launch operations support team in preparation for the SpaceX Falcon9 launch. Launch time: 2:45AM pic.twitter.com/ohVv48pHKG
— Brevard EOC (@BrevardEOC) August 24, 2025SpaceX CRS-33 launch in Florida
Update 1:30 a.m.: Delivering food, science, and supplies isn’t the only thing this Dragon is doing – next month it will begin a series of burns to boost the space station in its orbit. This marks the first time a Dragon will utilize this independent propellant system, which is in the spacecraft’s trunk.
“NASA contracted with SpaceX a few years ago to provide a reboost capability to the space station. As you know, the space station’s altitude slowly decays over time, due to the thin amount of atmosphere still at our altitude,” said International Space Station Program Operations Integration Manager Bill Spetch during a prelaunch press briefing. “To counteract that drag, we must occasionally raise the altitude of the ISS.”
SpaceX/NASA CRS-33 Dragon spacecraft stats
Update 1:20 a.m.: This Cargo Dragon spacecraft is seeing its third flight. It was previously utilized for CRS-26 in November 2022 and CRS-29 in November 2023.
Liftoff is still set for 2:45 a.m.
50th SpaceX Dragon mission to the space station
Update 1:10 a.m.: This mission is a milestone for SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, as this mission will see the 50th time a SpaceX Dragon has visited the ISS.
The first visit of a SpaceX Dragon was COTS-2, a resupply demonstration in May 2012.
In total, Dragon spacecrafts have flown to the ISS:
33 resupply missions 12 for NASA (Demo-2 and 11 crew rotations)Four crews for Axiom SpaceSpaceX launch in Florida weather
Update 12:53 a.m.: The Space Force’s 45th Weather Squadron has predicted a 70% chance of favorable weather conditions for this liftoff time.
Through Saturday, clouds covered the skies of the Space Coast. Skies over Kennedy Space Center are currently partly cloudy.
Brooke Edwards is a Space Reporter for Florida Today. Contact her at bedwards@floridatoday.com or on X: @brookeofstars.