SpaceX
36 mins ·
Last month, SpaceX launched a Dragon spacecraft on a resupply mission to the International Space Station, carrying thousands of pounds of critical supplies and hardware to the outpost.
One item delivered on this mission by Dragon was the International Docking Adapter. When attached to the ISS, this hardware will enable any type of spacecraft to deliver astronauts to the station, from US commercial spacecraft under development like our Crew Dragon, to future international spacecraft yet to be designed. Today, the docking adapter is being extracted from Dragon's trunk with the station's robotic arm. On Friday, NASA astronauts will conduct a spacewalk to install it.
Dragon is scheduled to return to Earth on August 26, carrying important scientific data and materials from the station. As the only spacecraft currently flying that is capable of returning significant amounts of cargo to Earth, we’re glad to be able to use Dragon’s unique capabilities to support the vital research work of the ISS - and to advance scientific knowledge for the entire world.