SpaceX's CRS-35 Dragon cargo spacecraft docked with the International Space Station at 10:27 a.m. EDT on Oct. 15, delivering more than 6,300 pounds of food, equipment, and research cargo for the Expedition 75 crew. The Falcon 9 launch took place two days earlier, on Oct. 13; the spacecraft made the roughly 52-hour trip to the station. [1] [2]
A key item in the cargo bay is the final pair of International Space Station Roll-Out Solar Arrays, or IROSAs. NASA says they will be installed later this fall and complete the planned augmentation of the station's power system. The arrays' delivery does not mean they are already deployed: installation is still ahead. NASA says the upgrade supports station operations, including its eventual safe, controlled deorbit. [1] [3]
Research payloads headed to orbit
The Dragon also carried equipment for experiments that use microgravity to study materials and human health. LambdaVision-1 will test whether artificial retinas can be manufactured in orbit by building thin layers with less gravity-driven settling. NASA says the process could improve future implants for people with retinal diseases, but the experiment is still testing a manufacturing method—not delivering a treatment. [1] [3]
Other highlighted investigations include 3D heart-tissue models for studying tissue growth and drug effects, glass made from nontraditional elements, and brain organoids used to examine inflammation linked to neurodegenerative diseases. The ISS National Laboratory said more than two dozen of its sponsored payloads flew on CRS-35, including work in regenerative medicine, fundamental science, and student-led protein production. [3] [4]
The station will host the Dragon for about a month. NASA expects it to return to Earth in mid-November with research samples and equipment for analysis. [3]
