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Astronauts on the space station just caught a big Dragon

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SpaceX's Dragon supply capsule successfully docked with the International Space Station (ISS) early Sunday morning.

European astronaut Tim Peake used the robotic arm on the ISS to grab the Dragon capsule, swing it around to an available airlock, and attach it.

spacex dragon iss robotic arm grapple april 10 2016
NASA TV

The spacecraft is hauling 7,000 pounds' worth of cargo, including science experiments, food, water, and other supplies that the astronauts need aboard the ISS.

The capsule also carries an inflatable room called the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module, or BEAM for short.

Astronauts will deploy and attach the bedroom-sized BEAM to another port of the space station on Saturday, April 16, according to NASA TV.

Then they'll slowly pump the capsule full of air.

beam space hotel
How the BEAM can expand in space.  NASA

Bigelow and NASA hope the room proves worthy as a lightweight, compact model for future additions to the ISS. (The crew on board will also certainly appreciate the extra living area.)

The technology could lead to more efficient spacecraft designs, provide more room on long-duration missions, and possibly help Earthlings establish the first settlements on Mars.

space x dragon capsule docking with ISS
NASA

It's been a great few days for SpaceX.

Shortly after SpaceX launched the mission on Friday afternoon, the company pulled off the first-ever landing of a rocket booster on a barge at sea.

The technique could save companies millions of dollars every launch by recycling rocket parts, drastically reduce the cost of access to space in the process.

Watch the full video of the Dragon docking with the ISS below.

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Steve is a senior correspondent at Business Insider. Previously, he was a deputy editor at Tech Insider and senior editor for the tech section of Business Insider. He's appeared on CNN, CNBC, MSNBC, Sirius XM, and Marketplace.
Dave Mosher reported news and features stories about science and technology for Insider, with human and robotic spaceflight as the primary focus of his multimedia storytelling. Mosher joined Insider in April 2015 as a deputy editor to help launch Tech Insider and manage its science desk. He left the company in February 2021. Prior to being an Insider, Mosher directed Popular Science's website, was a Wired contributor, and worked for or with Scientific American, Popular Mechanics, Discover, Space.com, National Geographic NewsDiscovery Channel, Nature, Science, and other media outlets.