A Spacex Rocket Launch culminating in the arrival of a Dragon cargo capsule at the International Space Station Tuesday brings needed supplies to the orbiting lab. The capsule docked with the ISS's Harmony module at 8:40 a.m. EDT, completing a roughly 28-hour journey after its Monday launch.
SpaceX launched the CRS-32 mission early Monday morning from Florida's Space Coast. The uncrewed Cargo Dragon launched atop a Falcon 9 rocket. The mission marks the 32nd robotic resupply flight for NASA.
The Dragon capsule delivered about 6,700 pounds of cargo to the station crew. This includes standard supplies like food, along with a variety of scientific experiments for research in space.
Among the science gear sent are an enhanced air quality monitoring system and atomic clocks for physics experiments. NASA officials detailed some of the cargo manifest in a statement prior to the mission. Other experiments include research on protein fluid flow and studies examining space radiation effects on plant telomeres.
The arrival comes as the station faces some challenges with resupply transportation. An earlier mission by another provider, Northrop Grumman's Cygnus NG-22, was canceled after its pressure vessel sustained damage during ground transportation.
Delays have also affected the introduction of Sierra Space's Dream Chaser, a new cargo vehicle expected to carry significant weight. Officials now anticipate Dream Chaser's first flight in the Fall, potentially alongside Japan's HTV-X cargo ship. The next Northrop Grumman mission, NG-23, is also slated for September.
This particular CRS-32 mission utilizes the Cargo Dragon C209, making its fifth flight. The capsule debuts enhanced drogue parachutes designed with stronger joints and ribbons for improved deployment during its return to Earth. This change was highlighted by SpaceX leadership as an example of continuous improvement.
The Falcon 9 first stage booster supporting the launch, designated B1092, completed its third flight. About 7.5 minutes after lifting off from Kennedy Space Center, the booster successfully touched down at Landing Zone 1 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. This landing was the 433rd overall booster recovery for SpaceX.
The Dragon capsule will remain docked to the ISS for approximately a month. It will return to Earth carrying trash and completed science experiments, splashing down off the California coast. The Cargo Dragon is currently the only operational U.S. cargo vehicle capable of bringing significant payloads back to Earth.
The next Cargo Dragon mission, CRS-33, is anticipated this summer. It is expected to test technologies, including additional thrusters, that could help maintain the station's orbit and potentially contribute to the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle being built by SpaceX for the ISS's planned end-of-life around 2031. As one director noted, “There’s no current concerns with the drogue parachutes. They’ve all performed within spec and yet, we innovated a way to make them even better, so we implemented it.”
