Science
SpaceX Dragon docks at the space station with science gear and the last roll-out solar arrays
NASA's 35th SpaceX resupply flight arrived Thursday with more than 6,300 pounds of supplies and the final set of roll-out solar arrays for the station.
A SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft linked up with the International Space Station on Thursday morning, bringing fresh supplies and research to the crew members on board.
A smooth arrival
The capsule launched on Tuesday as part of NASA's 35th commercial resupply mission with SpaceX. It flew on its own to the station and docked to the front of the Harmony module at 10:27 a.m. Eastern time. Astronauts monitored the approach and the crew will open the hatch and begin unpacking the cargo.
What is on board
Dragon is carrying more than 6,300 pounds of food and other supplies along with science hardware. The most notable items are the last of the station's roll-out solar arrays. The long, flexible panels unroll like a carpet once they are mounted outside and they add power as the older arrays wear down.
Spacewalkers are expected to install the new arrays on the outside of the station in the weeks ahead. NASA has been upgrading the station's power system one pair at a time and this delivery completes the set.
How long Dragon will stay
The spacecraft is scheduled to stay attached until mid-November. Before it leaves the crew will load it with finished experiments and no-longer-needed gear. It will then undock and parachute into the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California so scientists can recover the samples quickly.
The regular cargo trips remain the lifeline for the orbiting lab. Each one carries items that keep crews healthy and productive while also supporting studies that cannot be done on the ground.
