NASA and SpaceX are targeting no earlier than October 2026 for the launch of SpaceX’s 35th commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station (ISS). NASA announced Thursday that media accreditation is officially open for journalists seeking to cover prelaunch and launch activities at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
The upcoming mission, lifting off aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, will carry a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft loaded with crew supplies, scientific research, and critical hardware. Under current NASA guidelines, credentialing for on-site coverage is restricted exclusively to U.S. media, with applications submitted online through NASA’s Kennedy Space Center portal prior to the designated 11:59 p.m. deadline.
Key among the cargo manifest are the final sets of International Space Station Roll-Out Solar Arrays (IROSA). Astronauts are scheduled to install these upgraded arrays during future spacewalks to complete the station’s power augmentation program. Once operational, the new arrays will generate additional electrical power required for ongoing station operations, as well as the orbital complex’s eventual safe and controlled deorbit.
The launch follows SpaceX’s 34th resupply mission, which lifted off on May 15, 2026, carrying approximately 6,500 pounds of research experiments and equipment to the orbiting laboratory.
In addition to structural hardware, the 35th cargo payload includes several medical and materials science research investigations designed to leverage the microgravity environment:
* Biomedical Manufacturing: Hardware aimed at manufacturing artificial retinas in microgravity, which could support vision restoration therapies for patients on Earth.
* Cardiovascular Research: 3D heart cell tissue models designed to advance large-scale pharmaceutical testing on future space flights.
* Neurodegenerative Research: Brain organoids developed to identify potential treatment targets for neurological disorders, including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and multiple sclerosis.
* Materials Science: Experimental materials to study how novel types of glass form in microgravity conditions without Earth-bound thermal interference.
Analysis: Mission Significance and Deorbit Preparation
The delivery of the final IROSA sets marks a key transition phase for the International Space Station, which has sustained continuous human presence for more than 25 years. Beyond expanding immediate power availability for commercial and scientific research payloads, the addition of the final solar arrays directly supports the technical requirements for the station’s ultimate end-of-life plan. As NASA and its international partners prepare for eventual transition to commercial low-Earth orbit stations, maintaining reliable power generation is essential for managing operational control during the station’s final years and executing its eventual planned, controlled deorbit.
Sources
* [NASA News](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-invites-media-to-spacexs-35th-resupply-launch-to-space-station/)
Source: NASA News
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Story synopsis gathered from: NASA News — source
