On May 22, 2012, SpaceX launched the first commercial flight to the International Space Station. The Dragon was the first American spacecraft to visit the space station since NASA ended the space shuttle program almost a year earlier.
Launch Pictures: SpaceX's 1st Dragon Cargo Mission Soars to Space Station
When the space shuttles were retired, NASA decided to contract private companies to start launching cargo to the space station. SpaceX, which was founded by Elon Musk, launched over 1,000 lbs. of cargo to the space station with its new Dragon cargo craft. The vessel is actually designed to launch up to 13,000 lbs., but because this was a test flight, it wasn't filled to its maximum capacity.
The Dragon brought supplies like food, water and clothing for the space station crew and several student experiments. Also on board were cremated remains of more than 300 people. This included the ashes of the Mercury astronaut Gordon Cooper, and James Doohan, the actor who played Scotty on "Star Trek." The mission lifted off from Cape Canaveral on a Falcon 9 rocket and arrived at the space station three days later.
- Ashes of Star Trek's 'Scotty' Ride Private Rocket Into Space
- Private Rocket Launch Vindicates Commercial Spaceflight Model
- SpaceX: First Private Flights to Space Station
- SpaceX's Falcon 9: Rocket for the Dragon
- See the Evolution of SpaceX's Rockets in Pictures
Catch up on our entire "On This Day In Space" series on YouTube with the playlist here.
Email Hanneke Weitering at hweitering@space.com or follow her @hannekescience. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+.
