A SpaceX Dragon cargo ship docked with the International Space Station on Thursday morning, capping a two-day orbital chase that started with a visually striking predawn liftoff from the Florida coast.
The uncrewed spacecraft linked up autonomously with the space-facing port of the station’s Harmony module at 10:27 a.m. EDT as both vehicles flew roughly 250 miles above South Africa at approximately 17,500 mph, according to Space.com. NASA astronaut Anil Menon, who marked his 50th birthday on docking day, tracked the arrival alongside Canadian Space Agency astronaut Joshua Kutryk.
Vital equipment and advanced solar wings
Designated CRS-35, the flight represents the 35th commercial resupply services flight conducted by SpaceX for NASA. The capsule hauled more than 6,300 pounds of supplies, station maintenance hardware, fresh provisions, and materials to support over 40 distinct scientific investigations, Spaceflight Now reported.
Tucked within the unpressurized trunk of the Dragon are two Roll-Out Solar Array wings manufactured by Redwire Space. The rollout panels represent the fourth and final set delivered to bolster the laboratory’s electrical grid. Each wing can generate more than 20 kilowatts of power over an operational life exceeding 10 years, according to Spaceflight Now.
NASA Low Earth Orbit Program operations integration manager Gaurang Patel noted during an agency broadcast that integrating the arrays required novel adaptation kits because original station fixtures were never engineered for standard modular add-ons.
Scientific gear aboard the capsule includes investigations into unusual glass synthesized from heavier elements rather than silica sand. NASA ISS Office Deputy Chief Scientist Dr. Liz Warren explained during a prelaunch conference that such experimental materials could exhibit higher fracture resistance and superior optical traits, offering potential applications for lunar habitats and rovers.
A glowing display across the Southeast
The mission began Tuesday from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Outlets reported slight variations in the exact liftoff time, with Spaceflight Now citing 6:33 a.m. EDT and Space.com recording 6:35 a.m. EDT.
Because the launch occurred minutes before daybreak, ascending rocket exhaust expanded into the thin upper atmosphere and crystallized into high-altitude ice, WAFB reported. While ground observation points remained in darkness, sunlight beneath the horizon struck the dispersing plume, generating an iridescent halo commonly called a “space jellyfish.” Spectators observed the phenomenon throughout the southeastern U.S., with sightings noted in Florida, eastern Tennessee, and southeastern Louisiana.
The Falcon 9 first-stage booster, completing its eighth journey, flew back through the atmosphere and touched down at Landing Zone 40 adjacent to the pad less than seven and a half minutes after liftoff, accompanied by sonic booms across the coast.
Next steps in orbit
The delivered supplies will largely sustain the four astronauts of SpaceX’s Crew-13 mission, who boarded the orbiting complex on Oct. 1, Space.com reported.
The Dragon spacecraft is scheduled to remain attached to the Harmony module for about one month. Station personnel will unpack incoming hardware and restock the capsule with spent equipment, trash, and completed scientific research before Dragon departs for an ocean splashdown and retrieval.
