Gallery: Dragon, SpaceX's Private Spacecraft

COTS 2 Demo Dragon Capsule

SpaceX (via Facebook)

COTS 2 Demo Dragon undergoing launch prep at SpaceX hangar in Cape Canaveral.

Dragon Spacecraft Ocean Recovery

Chris Thompson/SpaceX

One of three recovery boats approaches Dragon spacecraft after it has completed its descent.

Dragon Spacecraft in Final Processing

SpaceX

SpaceX tweeted on Jan. 4, 2012: "First look: Dragon Spacecraft in final processing, getting ready to head to the ISS."

Falcon 9 Rocket in the Hangar

SpaceX

SpaceX tweeted on Jan. 5, 2012: "Photo Update: Falcon 9 in the hangar at Cape Canaveral. Getting ready to make history."

Astronauts and Industry Experts inside Dragon Spacecraft

SpaceX

NASA astronauts and industry experts check out the crew accommodations in SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft. On top, from left, are NASA Crew Survival Engineering Team Lead Dustin Gohmert, NASA astronauts Tony Antonelli and Lee Archambault, and SpaceX Mission Operations Engineer Laura Crabtree. On bottom, from left, are SpaceX Thermal Engineer Brenda Hernandez and NASA astronauts Rex Walheim and Tim Kopra. Image released March 16, 2012.

Walheim Inside Dragon

SpaceX

NASA astronaut Rex Walheim checks out SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft, which is under development for NASA's Commercial Crew Program. Image released March 16, 2012.

Dragon Spacecraft Crew Accommodations Monitored

SpaceX

NASA astronauts and industry experts are monitored while they check out the crew accommodations in SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft, which is under development for NASA's Commercial Crew Program (CCP). Image released March 16, 2012.

Loading Cargo into the Dragon Capsule

SpaceX

SpaceX tweeted on April 22, 2012: "Another shot from cargo loading with @NASA in anticipation of the upcoming demo flight to the Space Station."

Workers Loading Cargo Aboard Dragon Capsule

SpaceX

SpaceX tweeted on April 21, 2012: "Earlier this month we worked with @NASA to load cargo into Dragon in advance of our upcoming demo flight."

Dragon Crew Equipment Interface Test

SpaceX

SpaceX tweeted on March 29, 2012: "Completed another key step on the road to our upcoming launch: Crew Equipment Interface Test at the Cape with @NASA."

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Space.com is the premier source of space exploration, innovation and astronomy news, chronicling (and celebrating) humanity's ongoing expansion across the final frontier. Originally founded in 1999, Space.com is, and always has been, the passion of writers and editors who are space fans and also trained journalists. Our current news team consists of Editor-in-Chief Tariq Malik; Editor Hanneke Weitering, Senior Space Writer Mike Wall; Senior Writer Meghan Bartels; Senior Writer Chelsea Gohd, Senior Writer Tereza Pultarova and Staff Writer Alexander Cox, focusing on e-commerce. Senior Producer Steve Spaleta oversees our space videos, with Diana Whitcroft as our Social Media Editor.