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SpaceX launches baby squids, solar panels to International Space Station

Space Station
Posted at 7:18 PM, Jun 03, 2021
and last updated 2021-06-03 19:18:29-04

Baby squids are heading to the International Space Station.

On Thursday, NASA announced that the creatures and solar panels are part of a cargo resupply mission.

According to USA Today, more than 100 baby squid and about 5,000 microscopic animals were launched into space onboard SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket, which took off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Thursday.

This marks SpaceX's 22nd commercial resupply mission to space.

NASA said the creatures would be part of scientific experiments, include studying how water bears handle space, how microgravity possibly affects symbiotic relationships, analyzing how kidney stones are formed, and more.

The solar panels are being sent to "increase the energy available for research and other onboard activities," NASA said.