SpaceX and NASA launched the CRS-35 mission this morning as the sun was beginning to rise, and ISS passing overhead. After liftoff and for the next half hour afterward, the sky was illuminated by one of the most impressive “jellyfish” nebulae the rocket has ever produced — and that’s saying quite a lot.

Liftoff was at 6:33:44 am EDT this morning, and the payload’s launch and orbital insertion were successful.

Booster B1095.8 was relegated to a co-starring role this morning, despite its return and landing at LZ-40, about 500 meters from where it had launched only minutes earlier. A pair of sonic booms rattled across the Space Coast, heralding it’s arrival, but most eyes were still in the sky watching the ongoing light show that Falcon 9’s second stage.

Now in orbit, Cargo Dragon will chase down the International Space Station and is expected to dock two days from now, on Thursday, around 11 am ET. It will attach to the space-facing port of the station’s Harmony module. Dragon is scheduled to stay until mid-November, then return with time-sensitive research and splash down off the California coast.

At A Glance

At A Glance

Mission	Falcon 9 Block 5 | Dragon CRS-2 SpX-35
Status	Launched Falcon 9 lifted off Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026, at 6:33:44 a.m. EDT.
Organization	SpaceX
Rocket	Falcon 9
Pad	Space Launch Complex 40
Location	Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Fla.
Liftoff	Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026, 6:33:44 a.m. EDT (on time, instantaneous window)
Destination	Low Earth Orbit (International Space Station)
Mission Description	The 35th commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station operated by SpaceX, flown under NASA’s second Commercial Resupply Services contract. Cargo Dragon 2 carries supplies and payloads, including materials that directly support science and research investigations aboard the orbiting laboratory.

Launch Replay

Payload

Among the usual supplies of consumables (food, water, oxygen, etc.) CRS-35 is delivering experiments to be conducted aboard the station. It will also deliver the final set of iROSA rollout solar panels, which astronauts will deploy after checking the units’ condition upon arrival.

CRS-35 Science Highlights

Investigation	Field	Goal
Artificial Retinas	Biomedical Manufacturing	Manufacture artificial retinas in microgravity to help restore vision for patients on Earth.
3D Heart Tissue	Cardiac Research	Develop heart tissue models that could pave the way for large-scale drug testing on future missions.
Brain Organoids	Neuroscience	Reveal new treatment targets for Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and multiple sclerosis.
Glass Formation	Materials Science	Study how a new type of glass forms without gravity.

Next Launch

Next Launch

Mission	Falcon 9 Block 5 | Bandwagon 5 (Dedicated Mid-Inclination Rideshare)
Status	To Be Confirmed Awaiting official confirmation. Current date is known with some certainty.
Organization	SpaceX
Rocket	Falcon 9
Pad	Space Launch Complex 40
Location	Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Fla.
Window Opens	Monday, Oct. 19, 2026, 6:30 a.m. EDT
Window Closes	Monday, Oct. 19, 2026, 6:30 a.m. EDT (instantaneous)
Destination	Low Earth Orbit
Mission Description	A dedicated rideshare flight to a mid-inclination orbit carrying dozens of small microsatellites and nanosatellites for commercial and government customers.