SpaceX Cargo Dragon Successfully Docks to International Space Station

August 30, 2021: International Space Station Configuration. Five spaceships are parked at the space station including Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus space freighter; the SpaceX Crew and Cargo Dragon vehicles; and Russia’s Soyuz MS-18 crew ship and ISS Progress 78 resupply ship. Credit: NASA

While the International Space Station was traveling about 260 miles (420 kilometers) over the Western Australia, a SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft autonomously docked to the forward-facing port of the orbiting laboratory’s Harmony module at 10:30 a.m. EDT, Monday, August 30. Flight Engineers Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur of NASA monitored operations.

This long-duration photograph shows the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launching the Cargo Dragon spacecraft from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center into Earth orbit. Credit: SpaceX

SpaceX’s 23rd contracted cargo resupply mission with NASA to the International Space Station delivered more than 4,800 pounds (2,200 kilograms) of science, research, crew supplies, and vehicle hardware, to the orbital laboratory and its crew. This is the third mission under SpaceX’s Commercial Resupply Services-2 contract with NASA. Launch was targeted for Saturday, August 28 at 3:37 a.m. EDT, but was scrubbed due to weather. Instead, it launched on Sunday, August 29 at 3:14 a.m. EDT.

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket will send the company’s Dragon spacecraft, filled with over 4,800 pounds of research, crew supplies and hardware to the space station to support expeditions 65 and 66.

Hardware 

Launch:

• Oxygen Generator System (OGS) Rack Relocation Kit – Critical hardware to support the swap of the OGS Rack and ESA Life Support Rack between Node 3 and US Lab to enable the creation of the Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) Integrated Air String in the US Lab.
• Purge Pump and Separator Assembly (PPSA) Hardware – Hardware to augment power capability inside Water Recovery System Rack #2, as well as cabling to enable use between the upcoming PPSA and the Ku-Band Power Supply for down converting power.
• Brine Processor Assembly (BPA) Filter Assembly – Newly developed hardware to support the continued operations of the BPA on-orbit using custom filters with selective adsorbent material.
• Hydrogen Sensor – Critical ECLSS hardware that monitors for the presence of excess hydrogen in the generated oxygen, which helps inform NASA of problems with the Oxygen Generator System’s cell stack.
• CO2 Sample Container Relative Humidity – Upgraded shuttle-era grab sample container technology that has been modified to support critical exploration development goals with Thermal Amine, 4 Bed CO2, and Mini CO2 technology demonstrations.
• Rodent Research Habitats and Transporters – Rodents and support hardware required for the rodent specific research mission to be conducted during the upcoming increment.

Return:

• Water Separator – Temperature Humidity and Control hardware that supports the on-orbit systems to maintain appropriate temperature and humidity levels onboard the space station returning to ground for teardown, test, and evaluation and refurbishment for future flight.
• Urine Processing Assembly (UPA) Distillation Assembly – Critical ECLSS orbital replacement unit used for urine distillation, processing, and future use returning for teardown, test, evaluation, and refurbishment to support future spares demand and exploration development requirements.
• Avionics Air Assembly (AAA) Fan – Critical high speed fan spares previously installed in EXPRESS Rack 1 that provide cooling to support continued operations on-orbit returning to ground for teardown, test, and evaluation.
• Separator Plumbing Assembly (SPA) – Supporting the Urine Processing Assembly, this hardware supports the recovery and return of water and purge gasses from the water streams. This unit will be returned and refurbished to support future UPA demand on-orbit.
• International Space Station Roll-out Solar Array (IROSA) Installation Hardware – Critical connector caps and plugs that were necessary for spacewalks, now being returned for storage and use on future upgraded solar array installations.
• Nitrogen/Oxygen Recharge System (NORS) Recharge Tank Assembly – High pressure gas tank returning to ground to supply oxygen in support of critical spacewalks in the 2022 timeframe.