SpaceX shipment reaches space station after weekend launch
A SpaceX shipment arrived at the International Space Station on Monday (May 6) following a weekend launch. The Dragon capsule delivered 5,500 pounds (2,500 kilograms) of equipment and experiments.
Canadian astronaut David Saint-Jacques used the stations big robot arm also made in Canada to capture the Dragon approximately 400 kilometers above the North Atlantic Ocean. An external cable that normally comes off during launch dangled from the capsule, but it did not interfere with the grappling.
“Welcome on board, Dragon,” Saint-Jacques radioed. Speaking in both English and French, he congratulated ground teams for their help and said hes proud every time the stations 58-foot (18-meter) Canadian robot arm is used in orbit. “Well done, well captured. Way to make it look easy,” Mission Control said.
Live now on @NASA TV, watch the installation of the @SpaceX #Dragon to the Harmony module where it will stay for one month. #AskNASA | https://t.co/cBNqC61h27 pic.twitter.com/toWFzgXoSJ
— Intl. Space Station (@Space_Station) May 6, 2019
SpaceX launched the capsule Saturday from Cape Canaveral, Florida. It is the second station visit for this recycled Dragon. It also flew in 2017. This is SpaceXs 17th delivery to the space station; the first was in 2012. Northrop Grumman is NASAs other shipper; its Cygnus cargo ship arrived just two weeks ago.
The Dragon will remain about a month, being filled with science samples for return to Earth. Its the only cargo ship capable of coming back intact. Besides one Canadian, the space station is home to three Americans and two Russians.