SpaceX Falcon 9 launches on NASA cargo resupply mission to International Space Station; check details

SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket lifted off on Tuesday on a cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station (ISS) under NASA's Commercial Resupply Services (CRS-35) programme. The rocket lifted off at 6:33 a.m. ET from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

SpaceX confirmed the Dragon spacecraft's separation in a post on social media. Following stage separation, the Falcon 9's first-stage booster landed at Landing Zone 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

The Dragon spacecraft is scheduled to dock autonomously with the ISS on Thursday, October 15, at approximately 11 a.m. ET, following an estimated 52-hour journey.



Explaining the different stages of the mission, SpaceX said, "On its flight to the International Space Station, Dragon executes a series of burns that position the vehicle progressively closer to the station before it performs final docking maneuvers, followed by pressurization of the vestibule, hatch opening, and crew ingress."

SpaceX Falcon 9 launch: Mission details

CRS-35 marks SpaceX's 35th Commercial Resupply Services mission. The Dragon spacecraft assigned to the mission is making its fourth flight, having previously flown the CRS-26, CRS-29 and CRS-33 missions to and from the space station.

The Falcon 9 first-stage booster is making its eighth flight. It previously launched KF-01, IMAP, NROL-77, GPS III-9, CRS-34, NROL-95 and one Starlink mission.

According to a report by WRAL, the SpaceX launch was visible in North Carolina skies on Tuesday morning.