The International Space Station crew has begun unloading SpaceX’s CRS-35 Dragon and preparing its newly delivered experiments, NASA reported on October 16, 2026. The cargo includes the final pair of additional roll-out solar arrays for the station’s power upgrade. Their installation will require spacewalks later this fall. NASA’s October 16 station update.
From docking to the science racks
Dragon reached the space-facing port of the Harmony module on October 15 with more than 6,300 pounds of supplies and equipment. The mission launched on October 13 aboard a Falcon 9 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. NASA’s arrival report confirms the docking, following the earlier launch announcement.
After pressure and leak checks, the crew opened Dragon and moved time-sensitive samples into the station’s freezers and research racks. The newly delivered work includes artificial-retina manufacturing and heart-tissue research in microgravity.
Solar arrays await installation
The pair travels outside Dragon’s pressurized cabin, in its trunk. NASA plans to use Canadarm2 to retrieve and temporarily store the arrays before astronauts complete installation. The October 16 update lists spacewalks on October 29 and November 5. Those are the announced dates as of this article’s October 19 source check.
Six of the new arrays were installed from 2021 to 2023. NASA says the completed eight-array upgrade will add more than 160 kilowatts for station research and operations. The arrays launch rolled up, then unfurl after installation; their compact packaging reduces launch mass and volume. See NASA’s explanation of the power upgrade.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are the new solar arrays already supplying power?
No. The pair arrived in Dragon’s unpressurized trunk. NASA’s October 16 update schedules installation spacewalks for October 29 and November 5; those dates remain plans.
Is CRS-35 carrying astronauts?
CRS-35 is an uncrewed cargo mission. It brings supplies, research hardware and solar arrays to the crew already aboard the station.
When is Dragon expected to return?
NASA expects Dragon to leave in mid-November with research and other cargo, then splash down off California. The return is still scheduled, not completed.
Mission background
Explore our profiles of the International Space Station and the Falcon 9 launch vehicle.
Source dates: NASA launch report, October 13; docking and solar-array reports, October 15; crew activity update, October 16, 2026. This AI-assisted brief was checked against the linked primary sources on October 19, 2026.