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The latest bag of goodies has just been launched to the International Space Station. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket blasted off just after midnight local time fromÌýNASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The rocket’s first stage safely returned to the ground just minutes later, marking SpaceX’s fifth successful landing.

Meanwhile,Ìýthe uncrewed Dragon capsule lofted into orbit is making its way to the ISS, where it is due to arrive later this week. On board is a selection of food, water and other supplies for the station’s astronauts, along with more exotic cargo.

Dragon on its way to , Falcon on its way home

— SpaceX (@SpaceX)

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These include a USB stick-sized DNA sequencer called MinION, make by UK firm Oxford Nanopore. It is the first DNA analyser to be launched into space and could eventually allow astronauts to directly monitor any changes to their genetic code as a result of the harsh radiation environment in orbit – at the moment samples have to be returned to labs on Earth. For this first flight, astronauts will just test that the technology works in microgravity by analysing bacteria, virus and mouse genomes.

Also tucked away in the Dragon’s trunk is a new docking port that will be attached to the outside of the ISS. ItÌýwill allow futureÌýcrewed spacecraft to automatically dock with the station and is designed to work with SpaceX’s Dragon V2 and Boeing’s StarlinerÌýcapsules, both of which are expected to make their first trips to the ISS in the next couple of years.