3m agoSun 16 Mar 2025 at 4:15am
The final stage of **SpaceX's Falcon 9 Crew-10 Dragon** shuttle's docking with the International Space Station (ISS) was to hook onto its surface.
That process involved two sets of six hooks extending from Dragon's body out towards the ISS and locking on, to secure a firm dock.
The control centre crew at **Cape Canaveral in Florida** confirmed that process was successfully completed at **2:15pm AEST**.
**_"Soft capture complete"._**
Those are the words we wanted to hear.
They mean that the **SpaceX control centre** in **Florida** has confirmed the space organisation's **Dragon** shuttle has successfully connected with the **International Space Station (ISS)**.
The Dragon shuttle has a mechanism that extends from the spacecraft's main body to engage a connection with the ISS — that happened without issue at **2:04pm AEST**.
The connection will now be firmed with two sets of six hooks that will pop out from Dragon's soft capture mechanism and lock onto the ISS.
The two spacecraft will then pressurise, and Dragon's top hatch will finally pop open — allowing its four on-board crew to join the astronauts on the ISS.
**SpaceX's Falcon 9 Crew-10 Dragon** shuttle had to briefly pause after reaching **Waypoint 2**, which meant the spacecraft was just 20 metres in front of the **International Space Station**.
That pause was for the on-board crew and control centre in **Florida** to accurately make sure the shuttle was lined up in order to dock with the ISS.
It has since been given the all-clear to proceed with the docking.
That means it will slowly proceed towards the ISS's docking port, where it will extend a "soft capture" mechanism to grab hold of the station.
Two sets of six hooks will then extend to lock onto the ISS and secure a firm dock between the two spacecrafts.
There is a lot that goes into any space mission, but also specifically one that involves docking with the **International Space Station (ISS)**.
There are four crew members on-board **SpaceX's Falcon 9 Crew-10 Dragon**: **Anne McClain, Nichole Ayers, Takuya Onishi** and **Kirill Peskov**.
Here are the steps we've been made aware of that **the** shuttle has already taken, and is set to take to connect with the ISS:
* Dragon took off from the **Kennedy Space Center** in **Florida** on Friday, local US time.
* Four hours prior to launch, the shuttle's crew underwent final medical checks. About 2.5 hours before launch, they were transported to the **Space Centers' complex 39-A** — where they were to take-off.
* It took just nine minutes for the rocket to enter orbit after taking off, and 45 minutes after Dragon executed its first major burn to enter its initial orbit trajectory.
* The shuttle has five major burns to undergo in order to dock with the ISS.
* At **12:08pm PST (5:08am AEST Sunday)** Dragon engaged a **boost burn** to bring it into orbit just 10km lower than ISS. That was followed by a **close burn at 12:50pm PST (5:50am AEST Sunday)**.
* At **1:34pm PST (6:34am AEST Sunday)**, Dragon underwent a **Mid-course out of place burn** and another **transfer burn** at **2:25pm PST (7:25am AEST Sunday)** to bring it within a 2.5km radius lower than the ISS.
* By **7:35pm PST (12:35pm AEST Sunday)** Dragon kickstarted an **approach initiation burn** to move it within 7km behind the ISS and 2.5km below it.
* It then was given approval to approach a checkpoint known as **Waypoint 0** just after **8pm PST (1pm AEST Sunday)** — which is just 400 metres below the ISS.
* From there, it moved without pausing to **Waypoint 1** by **8:48pm PST (1:48pm AEST Sunday)**, the next checkpoint, which is 220m directly in front of the ISS.
* It is next due to pass by **Waypoint 2**, which is 20m in front of the ISS, before connecting with the ISS by driving in 12 hooks to the surface of the station to firmly dock.
Hi there, I'm **Luke Cooper** and I'll be with you this afternoon for all of the live updates from a **SpaceX** rescue mission destined for the **International Space Station (ISS)**.
The mission is aimed at returning veteran **NASA** astronauts **Butch Wilmore** and **Suni Williams** who have been stranded in orbit since June 2024, when problems with their vessel's propulsion forced an extension of their planned eight-day stay.
SpaceX's **Falcon 9 Crew-10** rocket took off at 7:03 pm local time on Friday from **NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida**.
The rocket's **Dragon spacecraft** is currently in the process of approaching the ISS, to be able to dock with it in orbit.
If all goes well, the two astronauts are scheduled to depart the ISS on March 19.