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SpaceX launches Christmas presents, supplies to station

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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. ā€“ SpaceX launched Christmas gifts, goodies and supplies to the International Space Station on Tuesday and got a present in return: the companyā€™s 100th successful rocket landing.

The predawn liftoff from NASAā€™s Kennedy Space Center was barely visible in the fog and clouds, as the Falcon rocket hoisted a Dragon capsule loaded with more than 6,500 pounds (2,950 kilograms) of gear for the station's seven astronauts. Several minutes later, the first-stage booster landed upright on an ocean platform, six years to the day that Elon Muskā€™s company accomplished its first booster touchdown in 2015.

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This particular booster was making its first flight. A few days ago, a SpaceX booster made its 11th flight.

ā€œIt's critical to lower the cost of spaceflight to continue to reuse these boosters more and more times. A hundred is a big milestone, so we're excited about that,ā€ said SpaceXā€™s Sarah Walker, a mission manager. ā€œWe're also excited to see how few new boosters we have to produce as the years go by.ā€

Among the items due to arrive at the space station Wednesday: Christmas presents from the astronautsā€™ families, as well as smoked fish and turkey, green beans and fruitcake for a holiday feast. NASAā€™s space station program manager Joel Montalbano wouldnā€™t divulge anything else. ā€œI wonā€™t get in front of Santa Claus and tell you what's going to be sent up,ā€ he told reporters on the eve of launch.

The delivery also includes a laundry detergent experiment. Station astronauts currently trash their dirty clothes; Procter & Gamble Co. is developing a fully degradable detergent for eventual use at the station, on the moon and beyond.

SpaceX is ending the year with 31 launches, the most ever by the company.

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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Instituteā€™s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.


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