On November 3rd, The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft crew moved their ship to an unused parking spot at the International Space Station (ISS) in preparation for the arrival of SpaceX’s 31st resupply service mission on the 4th. The cargo ship carried over 3 tons of supplies for the ISS crew. The relocation freed Harmony’s forward-facing port so the Dragon cargo ship could dock there. Harmony is a module that connects to the ISS. The Dragon spacecraft is expected to stay at the ISS till February 2025. This is the 5th ever relocation mission of the Dragon spacecraft to date.
The Dragon has launched a total of 49 times and visited the ISS 43 times. The 5spacecraft is able to carry up to 7 people to and from the Earth’s orbit and is the first private spacecraft to take humans into space. The Dragon is also the only spaceship capable of carrying cargo to and from Earth at the current moment. The spacecraft is a massive 26.7 feet in height and 13 feet in diameter, with a volume of 1,628 ft³, allowing for a max launch payload mass of 13,228 lbs and a return payload mass of 6,614 lbs. The pressurized cabin allows for the transport of people and environmentally sensitive cargo, something all spacecraft designed to carry people have.
Half of the trunk has solar panels covering it to provide power to the Dragon while it’s in flight and while docked at the station. Just about every spacecraft uses solar power, including satellites and the ISS. The trunk will remain attached to the Dragon until right before reentry into Earth’s atmosphere.
The Dragon has 16 Draco Thrusters which allow the ship to move while in orbit as well as 8 strong SuperDraco engines that power The Dragon’s launch escape system, built into the spacecraft to allow it to separate from the Falcon 9 in case of an emergency. SuperDraco engines provide strong propulsion for Dragon’s launch escape system with the ability to propel the Dragon half a mile away from the launch point in under 8 seconds. The 16 Draco thrusters are used to orient the spacecraft during a mission, each capable of creating 90 pounds of force in the vacuum of space.
The Dragon has one of the safest and most reliable parachute systems for human spacecraft. Two drogue parachutes stabilize the spacecraft after reentry and four main parachutes decelerate the spacecraft further before landing.
The relocation will allow the ISS crew to receive the supplies they need to survive in space such as food, water, and air as well as bringing various hardware for the station. The Dragon spacecraft is an incredible ship that has done wonders for the U.S. space program.
