End of an Era Paves the way for a New Era of Spacecraft

For the last 10 years, the private company SpaceX has been contracted by NASA to deliver cargo to the ISS instead of the Space Shuttle. The Dragon CRS-20 has made 20 different resupply missions to the massive space laboratory. Earlier this week, the last 1st generation Dragon spacecraft made its final flight up to the laboratory delivering supplies. It was released from the station for the last time via the use of the station's large robot arm and began its six-hour descent into the Earth's atmosphere and splashed down into the Pacific Ocean off Long Beach. The Dragon is being retired in favor of the new crewed module expected to launch in May. The " new cargo ship will be able dock itself to the station instead of an astronaut catching it with a robotic arm", according to space.com, making the new ship more effective in moving into position with the station.

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