On This Day: Space X Launches First ISS Supply Mission | WeatherBug
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On This Day: Space X Launches First ISS Supply Mission

May 25, 2020
By WeatherBug's Brandon Bush and James West
The scheduled launch of SpaceX’s Crew Dragon to the International Space Station Wednesday will be the first launch of Americans from American soil since the last Space Shuttle mission landed on July 21, 2011. On this date eight years ago, Space X began its space flight with its first successful commercial supply launch to the ISS. 

Here is a brief history of that launch and its significance:

The SpaceX Dragon reusable spacecraft was designed to send supplies to the International Space Station (ISS) on a commercial spacecraft. Previous missions to the ISS were government operated. NASA turn to private industry in hopes of saving money and freeing up NASA resources for other space exploration. 

The Dragon spacecraft was initially supposed to undergo two missions, the C2 and C3 flights. The C2 flight would have just been a test fly-by of the ISS and provided an opportunity to practice rendezvous maneuvers and communications with the station, before making a return trip to Earth. The C3 flight would have made the actual deliveries to the ISS. In July 2011, NASA gave approval to SpaceX to combine the C2 and C3 missions into one C2+ mission. 

The Dragon C2+ was successfully launched from Cape Canaveral, Fla., on May 22, 2012. It was carried into orbit on board SpaceX’s Falcon 9 launch vehicle, which is aptly named after the Millennium Falcon. The Falcon 9 is classified as a partially reusable two-stage-to-orbit medium lift launch vehicle. This means that the bottom half, or first stage of the rocket, is capable of re-entering the atmosphere and landing back on Earth near its launch pad or via a drone ship in the Atlantic. The Falcon rocket can be reused for future launches, saving launching costs for SpaceX and NASA. 

After a successful launch, the Dragon spacecraft began firing its thrusters to begin matching the speed and orbit of the ISS. Over the course of three days, from May 22 to May 24, 2012, it constantly adjusted its flight path to perform various test maneuvers before intercepting with the ISS. On May 25, the Dragon C2+ slowly approached the ISS, moving from 4,600 feet to 30 feet over the course of several hours. Sensor and maneuverability equipment was constantly  verified to make sure the craft was kept under control. 

Once the spacecraft made it to the 30-foot mark, the robotic ISS Mobile Servicing System, also known as Canadarm2, grabbed the Dragon spacecraft, which was positioned over Western Australia at the time.  The ISS crew did not open the hatch into the Dragon until May 26, after the air quality was evaluated. Over the next six days, the crew continuously unloaded more than 1,100 pounds of cargo from the spacecraft. The cargo included computer hardware, food, water, clothing, bags and other miscellaneous items. 

On May 31, the Dragon detached from the ISS with nearly 1,500 pounds of return cargo and was put on course to conduct its nine-minute atmospheric reentry journey. The solid heatshield protected the craft on its journey through the atmosphere. Its parachutes were deployed, and the craft crashed into the Pacific Ocean 560 miles off the coast of the Baja Peninsula, where it was finally recovered. 

The Dragon spacecraft was first delivered to McGregor, Texas, to have its extremely toxic maneuvering propellant removed. It then went to the Johnson Space Center in Houston for additional processing. From there, the capsule visited many sites throughout the U.S., including the Historical Society of Washington D.C., building and the Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles. As of now, the spacecraft is permanently on display at the SpaceX headquarters. 

Image: The SpaceX Dragon commercial cargo craft is grappled by the Canadarm2 robotic arm at the International Space Station. (NASA)