Cargo Spacecraft

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  ISS Crew Prepares to Send Japan’s HTV-X1 Cargo Spacecraft Back to Earth After Four Months

  The Expedition 74 crew aboard the International Space Station is preparing to release Japan’s HTV-X1 cargo spacecraft after four months docked. Using Canadarm2, the vehicle will detach, conduct additional experiments in orbit, and later deorbit, while astronauts continue biology and AI research onboard.

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  International Space Station Makes History As Eight Visiting Spacecraft Simultaneously Dock

  In December 2025, the ISS reached a historic milestone with eight visiting spacecraft docked simultaneously for the first time. The lineup included Soyuz crew vehicles, Progress cargo ships, Japan’s HTV-X1, Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus, and two SpaceX Dragons. The rare configuration highlighted intense crew rotation operations and the ISS’s role...

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  Cygnus XL Successfully Docks at International Space Station on First Mission

  Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus XL, the largest cargo spacecraft ever built by the company, successfully docked at the International Space Station. Launched on a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral, it delivered over 11,000 pounds of supplies and research materials.

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  Russia’s Progress-93 Cargo Spacecraft Successfully Docks with International Space Station

  Russia’s Progress-93 mission successfully reached the ISS with 2.8 tons of supplies and fuel. The automated docking on September 13 ensures astronauts have resources for daily life and research. Such resupply flights are vital for sustaining human presence in space and maintaining station operations.

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  China Launches Advanced Spacesuits and 7.2 Tons of Supplies to Tiangong Space Station

  China has launched the Tianzhou 9 cargo spacecraft carrying 7.2 tons of supplies, including upgraded spacesuits and scientific equipment, to support the Shenzhou 20 crew aboard the Tiangong space station. The mission marks China’s ninth cargo flight and highlights its ongoing investment in maintaining a long-term human presence and scientific res...

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  Progress 92 Spacecraft Docks at ISS with Vital Supplies for Expedition 73

  The Progress 92 spacecraft, launched by Roscosmos on July 4, 2025, has successfully docked with the International Space Station. The uncrewed cargo vehicle brought tons of food, fuel, equipment, and research materials to support the Expedition 73 crew.

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  Russia Launches Progress 92 Cargo Freighter with 3 Tons of Supplies to the ISS Successfully

  Russia’s Progress 92 cargo ship launched on July 3 atop a Soyuz rocket from Baikonur, carrying nearly 3 tons of supplies to the International Space Station. The uncrewed freighter is set to dock on July 5, replacing Progress 90. NASA will livestream the event, as Progress 92 continues supporting ISS operations alongside Cygnus and SpaceX’s Drag...

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  SpaceX to Launch NASA’s Resupply Mission to the International Space Station This Month

  NASA has planned for the next SpaceX resupply mission. The launch is set for 4:15 a.m. EDT on April 21, 2025. A Dragon spacecraft will carry over 6,400 pounds of cargo. It will launch on a Falcon 9 rocket from Kennedy Space Center, Florida. The mission is called CRS-32. It will deliver science tools, supplies, and hardware to the ISS.

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  SpaceX Dragon Cargo Capsule Returns to Earth After CRS-31 Mission

  SpaceX’s Dragon cargo capsule successfully undocked from the International Space Station on December 16, 2024, as part of the CRS-31 mission. Carrying thousands of pounds of research materials and supplies, the spacecraft is expected to splash down off the coast of Florida on December 17. Dragon remains the only cargo spacecraft capable of safely...

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  Chinese Tianzhou 7 Cargo Spacecraft Successfully Completes Reentry After Delivery Supplies to Astronauts

  China’s Tianzhou 7 spacecraft, launched in January 2024, concluded its mission with a controlled reentry on 17 November. After delivering supplies and materials to the Tiangong space station and being loaded with waste, the cargo spacecraft was deorbited over the South Pacific Ocean. The mission also included the release of the Bayi-08 cubesat, d...