SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket launched the CRS-34 mission at 3:03 p.m. PT on May 15, 2026, from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, delivering 6,500 pounds of supplies to the International Space Station. The mission followed a weather-related scrub on Wednesday when anvil clouds forced a last-minute abort with 28 seconds remaining in the countdown. The Dragon spacecraft, carrying life support systems, replacement hardware, and five scientific experiments, will autonomously dock to the Harmony module and remain there for about a month before returning to Earth.
The Dragon capsule achieved a historic milestone as the first SpaceX cargo craft to complete six flights. The Falcon 9’s first-stage booster, B1096, successfully landed for the sixth time, demonstrating SpaceX’s reusability advancements. The mission’s success comes as NASA and SpaceX continue their partnership to support research and operations on the space station.
The cargo includes experiments studying microgravity effects on biology and physics, with findings expected to contribute to scientific understanding in space. The rescheduled launch after Wednesday’s delay highlights the challenges of spaceflight, but the successful liftoff marks another step in the agency’s goals for the year.
SpaceX and NASA have not yet announced details for the Dragon’s return, but the capsule is expected to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere in late June. The mission underscores the ongoing collaboration between the two organizations as they work to sustain the space station and advance scientific research in low Earth orbit.