#cargo dragon

[gemini-enthusiast]

Cargo Dragon just before release from Canadarm2, Expedition 59.

[photos-mdx]

SpaceX's Cargo Dragon capsule

[weheartelon]

First pic of Cargo Dragon after splashdown👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 📸: SpaceX

[speedygal]

[spaceflightnewsmedia]

The SpaceX Dragon resupply ship is pictured approaching the International Space Station as both spacecraft were soaring 267 miles above the African nation of Namibia

[everythingspacex]

[gemini-enthusiast]

Special delivery! On display at Kennedy Space Center is one of the first Cargo Dragons to fly to the International Space Station. Developed as part of the commercial orbital transportation services (COTS) contract as a method of low-cost ISS resupplies, this Dragon flew COTS Demo Flight 2 all the way back in 2012.

Notice the square-shaped hatch on the top? If you've seen Dragon 2 capsules, you might notice that it's a little different from the hatch used nowadays, shown here:

That's because for the original Dragon 1 capsules, they did not dock autonomously. Instead, they did something called berthing, which involves the Canadarm2 robotic arm grabbing the spacecraft and maneuvering it into position. Universal berthing adapters are slightly different to docking adapters and utilize the rectangular hatch seen atop the Dragon 1. Now that Dragon can dock autonomously, they use the circular docking hatch instead.