Dragon, partially reusable spacecraft, Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX), Hawthorne, California, USA

On May 25, 2012 SpaceX made history when the Dragon spacecraft became the first privately developed vehicle in history to successfully attach to the International Space Station. Previously only four governments -- the United States, Russia, Japan and the European Space Agency -- had achieved this feat. This video features highlights from the mission, including:

May 22: Launch Day: SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket launched the Dragon spacecraft into orbit from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.

May 23: Dragon orbited Earth as it traveled toward the International Space Station.

May 24: Dragon's sensors and flight systems were subjected to a series of tests to determine if the vehicle was ready to attach to the space station.

May 25: NASA gave Dragon the GO to attempt berthing with the station. Dragon approached. It was successfully captured by the station's robotic arm.

May 26: US astronaut Don Pettit opened Dragon's hatch and the astronauts entered.

May 31: After six days at the International Space Station, Dragon departed for its return to Earth, carrying a load of cargo for NASA. SpaceX completed its historic mission when Dragon splashed down safely in the Pacific.

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The Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft are raised vertically for the CRS-3 mission to the space station.

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Orbital Science Corporation launches an Antares space vehicle on a resupply mission to the International Space Station.

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The SpaceX-3 launch to the International Space Station was scrubbed April 14, 2014 due to a helium leak on the Falcon 9 first stage. The next launch opportunity would be Friday, April 18 at 3:25pm EDT if the issue can be resolved.

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Approximately 2.4 tons of NASA science investigations and cargo were launched to the International Space Station aboard SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft. The launch aboard the company's Falcon 9 rocket took place from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on Friday, April 18 at 3:25 p.m. EDT. Dragon's cargo will support more than 150 experiments that will be conducted during space station Expeditions 39 and 40. The spacecraft will be grappled at 7:14 a.m. on Sunday, April 20 by Expedition 39 Commander Koichi Wakata of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. Dragon is scheduled to depart the space station May 18 for a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean west of Baja California, bringing with it about 3,500 pounds of science and research, hardware, crew supplies and spacewalk tools from the space station.

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A post-launch news conference was held on Friday, April 18 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida following the launch of the SpaceX-3 mission that will deliver approximately 2.4 tons of cargo to the International Space Station.

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The SpaceX Dragon cargo craft arrived at the International Space Station April 20, delivering almost 5,000 pounds of scientific experiments and supplies for the Expedition 39 crew. Dragon was launched atop the commercial company's Falcon 9 rocket April 18 from Space Launch Complex 40 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., on the third commercial resupply mission to the station for SpaceX. After a two-day rendezvous to catch up to the orbital laboratory, Dragon was grappled by Expedition 39 Commander Koichi Wakata of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and NASA Flight Engineer Rick Mastracchio and berthed to the Earth-facing port of the Harmony module using the station's Canadian-built robot arm, where it will remain until it departs the outpost on May 18 for a parachute-assisted return to Earth and a splashdown in the Pacific west of Baja California.

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Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) Dragon Mark II capsule is designed to bring crews to the Space Station, then re-enter and land upright on solid ground for rapid reconditioning and reuse.

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SpaceX CRS-4, also known as SpX-4, is a cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station, contracted to NASA, which was launched on September 21, 2014. It is the sixth flight for SpaceX's uncrewed Dragon cargo spacecraft, and the fourth SpaceX operational mission contracted to NASA under a Commercial Resupply Services contract. The mission brings equipment and supplies to the space station, including the first 3D printer to be tested in space, a device to measure wind speed on Earth, and small satellites to be launched from the station.

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After four successful missions to the International Space Station, including three official resupply missions for NASA, SpaceX is set to launch its fourth official Commercial Resupply (CRS) mission to the orbiting lab. The SpaceX CRS-4 mission is targeting launch at 06:14 UTC Saturday, September 20 from Launch Complex 40 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. If all goes as planned, Dragon will arrive at the station on Monday, September 22 for an expected four-week visit. Dragon is scheduled to return to Earth in mid-October for a parachute-assisted splashdown off the coast of southern California. Dragon is the only operational spacecraft capable of returning a significant amount of supplies back to Earth, including experiments.

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During a September 21 press briefing at Kennedy Space Center, NASA officials and representatives from SpaceX update the status of the SpaceX-CRS 4 mission shortly after launch. The mission is delivering 2.5 tons of supplies, science experiments, and technology demonstrations to the International Space Station.

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An unmanned U.S. resupply ship arrived at the International Space Station Sept. 23, two days after its launch from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, carrying more than 5000 pounds of supplies and critical experiments to the orbital laboratory. Space Exploration Technologies Corporation’s (SpaceX) Dragon cargo vehicle was grappled by station Flight Engineers Alexander Gerst of the European Space Agency and Reid Wiseman of NASA, who operated the station’s Canadarm2 robotic arm from the cupola. Dragon was subsequently berthed to the Earth-facing port of the Harmony module, where it will remain until around October 18th. This is the fourth commercial resupply mission of the station by SpaceX.

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The SpaceX Dragon cargo craft leaves the International Space Station on the morning of Saturday, October 25.

The Dragon delivered almost 5,000 pounds of supplies and elements to the station crew and is returning more than 3,276 pounds of NASA cargo and science samples to Earth.

Note: Video is Silent

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The SpaceX CRS-5 Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station carrying a Dragon spacecraft to the International Space Station. Liftoff was at 4:47 a.m. EST.

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SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket and its unpiloted Dragon cargo craft launched in pre-dawn darkness from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida Jan. 6, bound on a two-day journey to deliver more than two tons of supplies and science experiments to the Expedition 42 crew aboard the International Space Station. About 10 minutes after launch, Dragon separated from the second stage of the Falcon 9 rocket and deployed its solar arrays to begin the rendezvous to reach the station on Jan. 8, where it will be grappled by station Commander Barry Wilmore of NASA and Flight Engineer Samantha Cristoforetti of the European Space Agency using the station’s Canadian-built robotic arm from the orbiting laboratory’s cupola. Dragon will spend a month attached to the Earth-facing port of the station’s Harmony module and then splash down in the Pacific Ocean, off the coast of Baja California, bringing with it almost two tons of experiment samples and equipment from the station.

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After five successful missions to the International Space Station, including four official resupply missions for NASA, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft are set to liftoff from Launch Complex 40 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, for their fifth official Commercial Resupply (CRS) mission to the orbiting lab. The launch is currently targeted for Saturday, January 10 at 4:47am EST. A live launch webcast will begin at approximately 4:30am EST. If all goes as planned, Dragon will arrive at the station approximately two days after liftoff. Dragon is expected to return to Earth four-and-a-half weeks later for a parachute-assisted splashdown off the coast of southern California. Dragon is the only operational spacecraft capable of returning a significant amount of supplies back to Earth, including experiments.

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Two days after its launch from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, the unpiloted U.S. SpaceX Dragon cargo craft arrived at the International Space Station Jan. 8 to deliver more than two tons of supplies and science experiments to the Expedition 42 crew. Awaiting the Dragon supply ship were station Commander Barry Wilmore of NASA and Flight Engineer Samantha Cristoforetti of the European Space Agency, who used the Canadian-built robotic arm to grapple Dragon as they operated the arm from the station’s cupola. Once grappled, robotic ground controllers at Mission Control, Houston maneuvered Dragon to the Earth-facing port of the station’s Harmony module, where it was installed and bolted into place for a month-long stay.

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The SpaceX Dragon cargo vehicle arrived at the International Space Station after it was launched atop the company’s Falcon 9 rocket from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. Loaded with more than two tons of vital science experiments and supplies for the Expedition 43 crew, Dragon was grappled by Flight Engineer Samantha Cristoforetti of the European Space Agency and station Commander Terry Virts of NASA using the station’s Canadarm2 robotic arm. Dragon was installed on the Earth-facing port of the Harmony module for a month-long stay on the company’s latest commercial resupply mission for the orbital outpost.

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