A SpaceX Dragon cargo capsule is back on Earth after six months in orbit.
The dragon arrived at the ISS on August 25 of last year, delivering about 5,000 pounds (2,270 kilograms) of supplies and scientific equipment to the astronauts aboard the orbiting laboratory. It was the 33rd such robot cargo run that SpaceX has performed for NASA’s Commercial Resupply Services program.
The capsule also performed other useful work during its mission, which is known as CRS-33.
For example, it “introduced a new capability to augment the space station, helping to maintain its altitude above sea level and counteract atmospheric drag, which is critical to safe operations and long-term sustainability of the orbital complex,” NASA officials said in a statement on Monday (February 23).
“During the time Dragon was docked to the station, Dragon performed six reboosts – five in 2025 and a final maneuver on January 23 – before preparations for departure began,” they added.
Such reboosts have historically been done by Russia Progress freighter. However, it is unclear whether Russia will do so remain an ISS partner through the lifetime of the orbital laboratory, which is expected to be decreed in late 2030.
If Russia leaves the consortium early, other reboosting methods will be needed. Dragon just showed it can handle the job, and Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus cargo vessels have also done so.
Progress, Cygnus and Japan’s HTV-X spacecraft – the other currently operational ISS cargo vehicle – are all designed to burn up in Earth’s atmosphere when their mission is complete. But Dragon is reusable, which means it can also carry cargo in a downward direction. And it carried a lot of equipment back to pack the CRS-33.
For example, Dragon took down experiments from the Euro Material Aging study, “which exposed 141 samples to space for a year to investigate how coatings, insulation and 3D-printed materials degrade,” NASA officials said in the same statement.
It also obtained material from Thailand’s Liquid Crystals experiment, which “observed the stability of films used in electronics in microgravity,” they added. “Both could lead to stronger spacecraft, better displays and improved optical devices on future missions.”
Editor’s note: This story was updated at 10 ET on February 27 with news of the successful splashdown.
