It was launched without seats, cockpit controls, the life support system required to sustain astronauts in space and SuperDraco abort engines.

Beginning with the CRS-21 mission, the new Dragon Cargo capsules splash down under parachutes off the coast of Florida in either the Atlantic Ocean or the Gulf of Mexico.

SpaceX recovery teams were on standby for the parachute-assisted splashdown on 14 January 2021 at 01:26 UTC in the Gulf of Mexico, west of Tampa, Florida.

[3] NASA contracted for the CRS-21 mission from SpaceX and therefore determines the primary payload, date of launch, and orbital parameters for the Cargo Dragon.

Nanoracks is the prime contractor, with Thales Alenia Space manufacturing the pressurized shell and Boeing providing the berthing mechanism.

It will use microorganisms (the bacterium S. desiccabilis and the fungus P. simplicissimum) to extract metals from L-chondrite, testing the possibility to use this technique to obtain resources that will allow long-term and long-distance human space exploration and extraterrestrial settlements.

The program studies the early developed human brain, its movements in microgravity, and can help address and create better models of neurodegenerative disorders.

Subsa-Brains studies the effects of micrometeorites and space junk and the damage they can cause, as well as the process to repair the tissue, called brazing, and if it still works in a zero-gravity environment.

NASA astronauts will study the crystallization of monoclonal antibodies in space, with the aim of improving drug formulation and delivery for patients on Earth.

[23] Rodent Research-23 will study the effects of spaceflight on the eyes, specifically on the structure and function of the arteries, veins, and lymphatic vessels that are needed to maintain vision.