For the first time since the June explosion of its Falcon 9 rocket, SpaceX will attempt to carry cargo to the International Space Station (ISS) on April 8. The Dragon capsule will lug 3,800 pounds of supplies into orbit, including more than 250 science experiments. Here are a few of the most exciting, as highlighted by a NASA press conference. Each one could play an important role in helping move humanity beyond low Earth orbit.

Space Cabbage

Astronauts had great success this year in growing lettuce on the ISS (shown above), and now NASA's Veggie program plans to expand to growing space cabbage as well. A variety called Toyko Bekana cabbage was popular among taste-testers on Earth, and scientists think it should be able to grow in the space station's microgravity. Some portion of the space cabbage is expected to get eaten onboard, while the rest will be frozen for further analysis back on Earth.