SpaceX launches 50th Dragon spacecraft to ISS on resupply mission for NASA

Published on 24/08/2025 - 13:56 GMT+2

SpaceX connected Sunday launched a Commercial Resupply Services (CRS-33) ngo to nan International Space Station from Cape Canaveral successful Florida, nan Dragon spacecraft's 50th time.

Following shape separation, nan first shape landed connected nan A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship, stationed successful nan Atlantic Ocean.

According to SpaceX officials, nan Dragon spacecraft is expected to dock pinch nan ISS connected Monday autonomously aft an approximate 28-hour flight.

The CRS-33 will past present 5,000 lbs (2268 kg) of food, supplies, and experiments to astronauts onboard nan International Space Station—but according to SpaceX officials, this ngo goes beyond being conscionable a resupply mission.

Some 50 different technological studies captious for early quality abstraction exploration are to beryllium conducted connected nan mission.

“This investigation squad is testing retired nan presumption that blocking a definite macromolecule successful nan assemblage that is known to beforehand bony nonaccomplishment aliases bony wellness changes whitethorn really thief trim nan wide bony nonaccomplishment that astronauts acquisition successful space,” said Heidi Parris, subordinate programme intelligence for nan ISS Program.

While Sunday's motorboat marked half a ton of SpaceX Dragon spacecraft visits to nan abstraction station; nan first clip was successful May 2012 for a resupply demonstration.

It was besides nan first-stage booster's seventh formation and nan 3rd for nan Dragon spacecraft arsenic portion of nan resupply mission.

In September, nan Dragon spacecraft will beryllium utilised to springiness nan abstraction position a boost. This will impact nan accommodation of nan abstraction station's altitude, according to Bill Spetch, nan International Space Station Program's Operations Integration Manager.

“NASA contracted pinch SpaceX a fewer years agone to supply a reboost capacity to nan abstraction station. As you know, nan abstraction station’s altitude slow decays complete clip owed to nan bladed magnitude of ambiance still astatine our altitude," Spetch said. 

The Dragon spacecraft is expected to return to Earth nary earlier than December.

Video editor • Jerry Fisayo-Bambi

Additional sources • AP