Mission Pictures: SpaceX's 1st Dragon Flight to Space Station

Dragon Solar Panels Deploy

SpaceX

View from SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft looking outward at one of two solar array panels in the process of deploying. Image released May 22, 2012.

SpaceX Falcon 9 Second Stage Engine

SpaceX/NASA

This view shows a bright red second stage engine on SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket, as the booster launches the unmanned Dragon capsule into orbit on May 22, 2012.

Elon Musk and Cheering SpaceX Employees

SpaceX

SpaceX founder Elon Musk stands before cheering SpaceX employees at their Los Angeles facility following the successful launch of their Falcon 9 rocket on May 22, 2012.

SpaceX Falcon 9/Dragon Launch Trajectory to ISS

SpaceX

This still from a SpaceX webcast shows the planned trajectory of the Falcon 9 rocket carrying the first Dragon capsule to the International Space Station on May 22, 2012.

Second Stage View on SpaceX's Falcon 9 Rocket

SpaceX/NASA

This photo shows the view from SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket's second stage looking down at the launch pad. The booster successfully carried the Dragon capsule into orbit on May 22, 2012.

SpaceX Falcon 9 Launch

NASA/Rick Wetherington, Tim Powers and Tim Terry

On Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, Space Launch Complex-40 is ablaze as the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off on May 22, 2012.

Falcon 9 & Dragon Launch Crowd

SpaceX

Launch spectators cheer on the Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft shortly after liftoff on May 22, 2012.

Falcon 9 Arcs Through the Sky

James Fink (via Twitter @SpaceX)

SpaceX tweeted this photo of the Falcon 9 launch on May 22, 2012. The company wrote: "Incredible shot of Falcon 9 launch (photo credit: James Fink) pic.twitter.com/M97rrNfY."

Space Launch Complex-40 is Ablaze

NASA/Rick Wetherington, Tim Powers and Tim Terry

On Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, Space Launch Complex-40 is ablaze as the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off on May 22, 2012.

Liftoff of Falcon 9 Rocket

SpaceX

The Falcon 9 rocket's engines ignite on the SpaceX launch pad at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, May 22, 2012.

Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: community@space.com.

Space.com Staff
News and editorial team

Space.com is the premier source of space exploration, innovation and astronomy news, chronicling (and celebrating) humanity's ongoing expansion across the final frontier. Originally founded in 1999, Space.com is, and always has been, the passion of writers and editors who are space fans and also trained journalists. Our current news team consists of Editor-in-Chief Tariq Malik; Editor Hanneke Weitering, Senior Space Writer Mike Wall; Senior Writer Meghan Bartels; Senior Writer Chelsea Gohd, Senior Writer Tereza Pultarova and Staff Writer Alexander Cox, focusing on e-commerce. Senior Producer Steve Spaleta oversees our space videos, with Diana Whitcroft as our Social Media Editor.