SpaceX Dragon CRS-33 Undocks After Six-Month Mission, Completing ISS Reboost Tests

The unpiloted SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft, designated CRS-33, concluded its extended operational period by undocking from the International Space Station's (ISS) Harmony module on February 26, 2026. This departure followed precise commands from SpaceX ground controllers, formally ending the capsule's nearly six-month tenure aboard the orbiting laboratory. The spacecraft had initially achieved automated berthing with the station on August 25, 2025, attaching to the forward-facing Common Berthing Mechanism (CBM) port of the Harmony module.

The CRS-33 mission was significant not only for delivering over 5,000 pounds of supplies, including scientific investigations and crew provisions, but also for demonstrating a novel capability to sustain the ISS's altitude. The Dragon vehicle carried a specialized reboost kit in its unpressurized trunk, which contained an independent propellant system designed to fire two Draco engines. This system, separate from the spacecraft's primary propulsion, utilized existing hardware design to perform orbital adjustments. The initial test burn occurred on September 3, 2025, increasing the station's perigee by approximately one mile and setting the outpost's orbit between 260.9 and 256.3 miles.

During its extended stay, which concluded later than the initially anticipated four-month duration, the Dragon spacecraft executed a total of six reboost maneuvers to counteract atmospheric drag. Five of these burns took place in the fall of 2025, with the final orbital adjustment maneuver executed on January 23, 2026, preceding the undocking preparations. This capability, employing two Draco engines, is intended to reduce the ISS's historical reliance on Roscosmos's Progress vehicles for routine orbit maintenance, thereby offering NASA's International Space Station Program a broader set of tools for operational resilience. The first demonstration of this reboost function occurred on November 8, 2024, during the SpaceX 31st Commercial Resupply Services mission.

The Harmony module, Node 2, which served as the docking interface, is a critical utility hub for the ISS, connecting the U.S. Destiny, European Columbus, and Japanese Kibo laboratory modules. Launched in October 2007, Harmony provides essential resources like power and data distribution and features six CBM ports, with the nadir CBM typically reserved for berthing cargo spacecraft like Dragon. The CRS-33 mission delivered a substantial manifest, including 447 kilograms of science investigations supporting research into areas like 3D printing in microgravity and bone loss prevention, alongside 1,091 kilograms of crew supplies.

Following its separation at 12:05 p.m. EST on February 26, the unpiloted Dragon spacecraft proceeded toward its return to Earth. The pressurized capsule, carrying back research samples and hardware, including materials from the Euro Material Aging study, splashed down under parachutes in the Pacific Ocean off the California coast on Friday, February 27, 2026, at approximately 07:44 GMT. The trunk section, containing the expended reboost kit hardware, was intentionally discarded to burn up safely in the atmosphere, while the main capsule was recovered for potential refurbishment and reuse, underscoring the dual-functionality of the Dragon architecture. This successful conclusion marked the 33rd cargo delivery mission for NASA's Commercial Resupply Services program and the 50th overall Dragon flight to the ISS for SpaceX.