SpaceX successfully launched its 14th resupply mission to the International Space Station, sending up a lightly-used Dragon capsule full of three tons of supplies at 1:30 PST.

The launch was the firm's 53rd launch to date, and contained some unconventional cargo: an experimental system known as RemoveDEBRIS, which scientists hope will help clean up Earth's space junk-littered upper atmosphere.

Space junk is a pressing issue in Earth's lower orbit, as there are currently more than 500,000 pieces of defunct satellites, used rocket boosters, and other space junk floating around, according to NASA. While many are no larger than a marble, they still pose a threat to satellites and other orbiting structures. By involving itself in such an interesting and important endeavor, SpaceX is not only legitimizing itself as an efficient and technologically adept organization, but it is also legitimizing space travel itself by increasing safety and therefore feasibility.

The first trial will involve firing a net to capture the satellites, which "is a very flexible option because even if the debris is spinning, or has got an irregular shape, to capture it with a net is relatively low-risk" compared to retrieving debris using a robotic arm, according to Guglielmo Aglietti, director at the SSC.

Another test will involve a retractable harpoon, which is "maybe simpler" but "a bit more risky because you have to hit your debris in a place that is suitable," Aglietti said. "Clearly, you have to avoid any fuel tanks."

Over the past week, SpaceX launched two more successful Falcon 9 missions, all culminating in what will eventually be the final version of the rocket. This version is called the "Block 5" Falcon 9 that's set to make its debut flight later this month. SpaceX confirmed on Tuesday that it hopes to launch Bangladesh's first communications satellite, Bangabandhu-1, on a Block 5 Falcon 9 later in April. The exact launch window is yet to be announced, though some industry sites are reporting April 24 as a target date.

Instead of trying to recover some of its current inventory of older Falcon 9 boosters, SpaceX has tried to push them to their limits during reentry to gather data that will be useful for building future rockets. That's what was done with the last two Falcon 9 boosters that met their end in the ocean over the last few days. This is further testament to the notion that SpaceX is indeed in this business for the long haul and is making long-term plans.

The final version of the Falcon 9 to be released later this month is also the rocket SpaceX hopes to use to carry astronauts to the International Space Station later this year. However, first, it needs to get at least seven Block 5 launches under its belt to get certified by NASA.