SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft docks to International Space Station

The spacecraft delivers the first two of six new ISS Roll-out Solar Arrays (iROSA) to the space station which will be installed by the Expedition 65 astronauts during a series of spacewalks between June 16 and 20. The solar arrays are expected to augment the energy available for future research and space station activities.

The SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft carrying more than 7,300 pounds of research, hardware, and supplies have successfully docked to the International Space Station. The uncrewed craft autonomously docked to the space-facing side of the orbiting laboratory's Harmony module today at 5:09 a.m. EDT.

NASA Expedition 65 astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur monitored the docking operations for the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft which lifted off on Thursday, June 3, atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, on SpaceX's 22nd contracted commercial resupply.

A @SpaceX cargo Dragon spacecraft autonomously docked at 5:09am ET, making it the fifth spacecraft currently parked at the @Space_Station. The Dragon is carrying @ISS_Research, crew supplies, and a pair of roll-out solar arrays in its trunk: https://t.co/8Um8Bhivta pic.twitter.com/FHfZQnKCWS

— NASA (@NASA) June 5, 2021

The spacecraft delivers the first two of six new ISS Roll-out Solar Arrays (iROSA) to the space station which will be installed by the Expedition 65 astronauts during a series of spacewalks between June 16 and 20. The solar arrays are expected to augment the energy available for future research and space station activities.

Apart from the solar arrays, the Dragon cargo spacecraft delivers other science experiments including:

• Symbiotic squid and microbes - examining the effects of spaceflight on interactions between beneficial microbes and their animal hosts.
• Producing tougher cotton - improving cotton's resilience, water-use, and carbon storage
• Water bears - identifying the genes involved in water bear adaptation and survival in these high-stress environments
• On-the-spot ultrasound - a handheld device that could provide critical medical capabilities to crews on long-term spaceflights
• Developing better robot drivers - testing the effectiveness of remotely operating robotic arms and space vehicles using virtual reality and haptic interfaces. Findings could help optimize workstations on the space station and future space vehicles for missions to the Moon and Mars