NASA and SpaceX have confirmed plans to launch the 34th Commercial Resupply Mission to the International Space Station from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The mission is targeted for mid-May 2026 and will use a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket to send a Dragon spacecraft carrying about 6,500 pounds of supplies, scientific equipment, and experiments to the orbital laboratory. The Dragon will autonomously dock to the forward port of the space station’s Harmony module after launch.
The payload includes research focused on long-duration space travel and microgravity studies. One experiment, ODYSSEY, will compare bacterial behavior in space to results from Earth-based microgravity simulators. Another, STORIE, will track charged particles in the space station’s environment. These studies aim to support future Artemis lunar missions and Mars exploration by improving understanding of biological and physical processes in space.
The mission follows over 25 years of International Space Station operations, which have enabled more than 4,000 experiments by scientists from 110 countries. Research from the station has advanced medical treatments, materials science, and Earth observation technologies. NASA says the data collected will continue to benefit life on Earth while preparing for deep-space exploration.
Public coverage of the launch and Dragon’s arrival at the space station will be available on NASA+, Amazon Prime, and NASA’s YouTube channel. The mission highlights the ongoing partnership between NASA and SpaceX, which has delivered critical supplies and scientific payloads to the ISS since 2012. Launch updates will be shared through NASA’s social media platforms and website.