SpaceX made history in May when its Dragon capsule became the first privately-built spacecraft to dock at the International Space Station. Now, the company has released a YouTube video that follows its historic journey through space, from liftoff to its return drop in the Pacific Ocean.
The video begins with footage from SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket launch on May 22 that carried the Dragon spacecraft into orbit from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. It also features footage of it orbiting the Earth, U.S. astronaut Don Pettit opening Dragon's hatch and SpaceX's reaction to the successful mission.
Not only was the Dragon the first privately developed vehicle in history to ever successfully attach to the International Space Station, only four governments -- the United States, Russia, Japan and the European Space Agency -- had previously achieved this feat.
SpaceX -- which has a $1.6 billion contract to fly 12 supply missions -- is gearing up for more launches in the near future. The first contracted cargo flight is scheduled for September.
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Image courtesy of SpaceX
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