A SpaceX Cargo Dragon capsule arrived at the International Space Station (ISS) early Monday, bringing more than 5,000 pounds of supplies, science experiments, and hardware — plus one very popular menu item: 1,500 tortillas, the go-to bread substitute for astronauts dining in microgravity.
The unpiloted spacecraft launched Sunday from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station aboard a Falcon 9 rocket and completed a 28-hour chase through orbit. Dragon successfully docked at the station’s forward port at 7:05 a.m. EDT (1105 GMT) as the two vehicles passed 260 miles above the Ivory Coast of Africa.
“We’d like to say thanks to everybody who made the cargo and loaded the cargo and launched the cargo,” said NASA astronaut Mike Fincke from aboard the ISS. “It’s our job now to take care of it from here. We’ll do our very best for all the science that’s now aboard. Also, we very much appreciate the resupply.”
In addition to fresh food, clothing, and experiments, Dragon carried a special piece of equipment in its unpressurized trunk: an add-on thruster kit designed to help boost the space station’s orbit.
“The space station’s altitude slowly decays over time due to the thin amount of atmosphere still at our altitude,” explained Bill Spetch, ISS operations integration manager at NASA’s Johnson Space Center. “To counteract that drag, we must occasionally raise the altitude of the ISS.”
Traditionally, Russia’s Progress cargo ships and onboard propulsion systems have handled most re-boost operations. With the arrival of this new boost kit, Dragon will soon share that responsibility. NASA plans to begin a series of Dragon-assisted re-boost maneuvers in fall 2025.
As for the tortillas, they’ve long been a staple for astronauts. Unlike conventional bread, which sheds crumbs that can float into equipment and pose hazards in microgravity, tortillas stay intact.
“Tortillas are a great substitute for bread in orbit,” Spetch said. “They’ve become standard fare for the crews aboard the space station.”
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