NASA and SpaceX Deliver Supplies to ISS for Crew and Research

SpaceX launches Dragon cargo ship to ISS with vital supplies and scientific experiments.

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On Tuesday, October 13, 2026, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket successfully launched an unpiloted Dragon cargo ship into orbit, en route to the International Space Station (ISS) to deliver over 6,300 pounds of supplies, spare parts, and research materials.

The rocket took off at 6:33 a.m. ET from pad 40 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The first-stage engines separated about two minutes after launch and landed safely near the launch pad, while the second stage continued to propel the Dragon cargo ship toward its destination.

Supplies and Scientific Payloads

The cargo ship is scheduled to rendezvous with the ISS on Thursday for an automated docking at the Harmony module’s space-facing port around 11:00 a.m. The delivery includes 417 pounds of spacewalk equipment, 844 pounds of crew supplies, 880 pounds of vehicle and computer hardware, and 1,307 pounds of science gear.

Among the critical items being transported are the Roll-Out Solar Array (IROSA) blankets, which are flexible solar panels generating 20 kilowatts of power each. These new arrays will enhance the ISS’s power grid efficiency, with the final two set for installation in the coming weeks.

Research and Medical Advancements

The Dragon is also carrying new experiments, including hardware for manufacturing artificial retinas in microgravity to potentially restore vision on Earth, 3D heart tissue models for drug testing, and brain organoids for studying neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

Additionally, the spacecraft is transporting materials to study the formation of a new type of glass, ELF-Unconventional Glass 2, in microgravity, according to NASA.