SpaceX Dragon Capsule Grappled and Berthed to International Space Station
Posted on May 25, 2012
The SpaceX Dragon capsule's mission to dock with the International Space Station is a success. Dragon grappled and berthed to the Earth-facing port of the ISS Harmony module at 12:02 p.m. EDT, May 25, 2012. This is the first time a commercial spacecraft has ever docked with the ISS.
NASA Administrator Charles Bolden said in a statement, "Today marks another critical step in the future of American spaceflight. Now that a U.S. company has proven its ability to resupply the space station, it opens a new frontier for commercial opportunities in space -- and new job creation opportunities right here in the U.S. By handing off space station transportation to the private sector, NASA is freed up to carry out the really hard work of sending astronauts farther into the solar system than ever before. The Obama Administration has set us on an ambitious path forward and the NASA and SpaceX teams are proving they are up to the task."