space station
TRANSPORTING HUMANS TO THE ORBITING LABORATORY IN THE SKY
SpaceX has been delivering cargo to and from the International Space Station since 2012, and in 2020 SpaceX began transporting people to the orbiting laboratory under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.
Cargo Missions
SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft is capable of carrying up to 6,000 kgs / 13,228 lbs of cargo to the Station and returning 3,000 kgs / 6,614 lbs of cargo back to Earth. To date, Dragon has made over 20 trips to the orbiting laboratory.
Crew Missions
Designed from the beginning to transport people, SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft is capable of carrying both NASA and commercial astronauts to destinations in low-Earth orbit, the Moon and beyond.
Vehicle
Dragon
The Dragon spacecraft is capable of carrying up to 7 passengers to and from Earth orbit and beyond. The pressurized section of the capsule is designed to carry both people and environmentally sensitive cargo. Toward the base of the capsule and contained within the nosecone are the Draco thrusters, which allow for orbital maneuvering.
To The space station
On its flight to the International Space Station, Dragon executes a series of burns that position the vehicle progressively closer to the station before it performs final docking maneuvers, followed by pressurization of the vestibule, hatch opening, and crew ingress.
Mission
To The space station
On its flight to the International Space Station, Dragon executes a series of burns that position the vehicle progressively closer to the station before it performs final docking maneuvers, followed by pressurization of the vestibule, hatch opening, and crew ingress.
Falcon 9’s first stage lofts Dragon to orbit. Falcon 9’s first and second stage separate. Second stage accelerates Dragon to orbital velocity.
Dragon separates from Falcon 9’s second stage and performs initial orbit activation and checkouts of propulsion, life support, and thermal control systems.
Dragon performs delta-velocity orbit raising maneuvers to catch up with the International Space Station.
Dragon establishes a communication link with the International Space Station and performs its final orbit raising delta-velocity burn.
Dragon establishes relative navigation to the International Space Station and arrives along the docking axis, initiating an autonomous approach.
Dragon performs final approach and docks with the International Space Station, followed by pressurization, hatch open, and crew ingress.