SpaceX’s 35th Commercial Resupply Mission to the ISS

In October 2026 NASA and SpaceX plan to launch the 35th commercial resupply mission using a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral. The Dragon spacecraft will carry about 6,500 lb of science, supplies and equipment to the International Space Station, continuing a line of missions that have supported research for more than 25 years.

Powering the Station: IROSA Arrays

Among the cargo are the final sets of International Space Station Roll‑Out Solar Arrays, known as IROSA. Astronauts will install these arrays during future spacewalks, adding new solar capacity that will augment the station’s power system and support its long‑term operations, including the controlled deorbit planned for the future.

Manufacturing Artificial Retinas in Microgravity

Dragon will also carry hardware designed to manufacture artificial retinas in microgravity. The unique environment of orbit may enable the growth of retinal tissue structures that are difficult to achieve on Earth, offering a potential pathway to restore vision for patients with retinal disease.

3D Heart‑Cell Models for Drug Testing

The mission includes 3D heart‑cell models that will be used to advance large‑scale drug testing in space. By observing how cardiac cells behave without gravity, researchers can gain insights into heart function and test compounds that might one day improve treatments for heart disease.

New Glass Formation in Microgravity

Materials sent to the station will be used to study how a new type of glass forms in microgravity. Understanding the crystallization and bonding processes in orbit can lead to improved glass materials with applications in optics, electronics and photonics.

Brain Organoids and Neurodegenerative Disease Research

Dragon will transport brain organoids—tiny, three‑dimensional clusters of human brain cells—that could uncover potential treatment targets for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and multiple sclerosis. The microgravity environment may accelerate changes in cell signaling that are otherwise slow to manifest on Earth.

These investigations span biology, biotechnology, physical sciences and technology development, reflecting the broad scope of research that each resupply mission delivers to the orbiting laboratory.

Educational Value for Students and Lifelong Learners

For educators and students around the world, the experiments aboard SpaceX‑35 provide concrete examples of how space research translates into real‑world benefits. Topics such as tissue engineering, materials science, pharmacology and neuroscience can be introduced through the mission’s objectives, encouraging learners to explore how microgravity alters fundamental processes. Classroom activities could include modelling solar‑array deployment, discussing the conditions needed for retinal tissue growth, or analysing data from heart‑cell experiments. Because the mission is part of NASA’s ongoing commitment to the International Space Station—a platform that has hosted continuous human presence for over two decades—students also see a living example of long‑duration international collaboration in science and engineering.

While the launch itself is a technical milestone, the scientific payloads illustrate how space‑based research can inform medicine, energy and materials technology—areas that are relevant to curricula in physics, chemistry, biology and engineering. By following the mission, learners can connect classroom concepts to cutting‑edge research and consider future career paths in space‑related fields.

Looking Ahead

The data and insights gathered from these experiments will be shared with the global scientific community, often resulting in publications, patents or technology spin‑offs. As future missions continue to expand the suite of microgravity studies, each flight adds new chapters to the story of how living and working in space can benefit life on Earth.

Source

NASA Science