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SpaceX’s uncrewed CRS-33 Dragon splashed down off California at about 11:44 p.m. Pacific time on February 26, 2026, bringing several thousand pounds of cargo back from the International Space Station. During its roughly six months docked to the station, Dragon also completed six reboost maneuvers to help counter the slow orbital decay caused by atmospheric drag.
CRS-33: from launch to splashdown
A Falcon 9 launched the cargo spacecraft from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on August 24, 2025. Dragon autonomously docked at the ISS’s Harmony module the next day. After about six months at the station, it undocked from Harmony’s forward-facing port at 12:05 p.m. Eastern time on February 26, 2026, then returned to Earth that night.
The splashdown was late February 26 in California’s Pacific time zone, though it was already February 27 in Eastern time. NASA’s confirmation was published on February 27, which explains why reports may use different dates for the return. NASA’s mission update describes the landing and returned cargo.
- Mission: SpaceX CRS-33, NASA’s 33rd SpaceX Commercial Resupply Services mission
- Launch: August 24, 2025
- ISS docking: August 25, 2025
- Undocking: February 26, 2026, at 12:05 p.m. EST
- Splashdown: Approximately 11:44 p.m. PST on February 26, off California
- Reboosts: Six, with the final maneuver on January 23, 2026
Why the ISS needs reboosts
The International Space Station orbits in low Earth orbit, where even the very thin upper atmosphere creates drag. That drag gradually removes orbital energy and lowers the station’s orbit. Periodic reboosts add energy and raise the orbit again; they are routine maintenance, not a move to a new destination or a permanent fix for orbital decay.
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For much of the station’s history, Russian Progress cargo spacecraft have performed many reboosts. CRS-33 showed that a docked Dragon can also contribute, adding another operational option. Dragon did not push the station continuously: its engines fired in planned maneuvers coordinated with station operations.
How Dragon helped raise the station’s orbit
NASA’s CRS-33 overview says the reboost system was installed in Dragon’s trunk and used an independent propellant system to feed two Draco engines. While Dragon was docked, the system could produce controlled thrust that changed the ISS orbit.
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One example came on December 29, 2025. NASA reported that the burn lasted more than 19 minutes and raised the station’s altitude by about 1.6 miles at apogee and 1.9 miles at perigee. The resulting orbit was approximately 263.5 by 257.8 miles. Apogee and perigee are the highest and lowest points in an orbit; their different changes reflect that the ISS’s orbit is not a perfect circle. The figures describe that particular maneuver, not a single permanent altitude gain. NASA’s account of the December burn provides the maneuver details.
CRS-33 completed six reboosts: five in 2025 and a final one on January 23, 2026. The repeated use made the mission an important operational demonstration of Dragon’s reboost role. It was not the first time Dragon had demonstrated the capability: NASA says the initial demonstration took place during CRS-31 on November 8, 2024. Calling CRS-33 the first Dragon reboost would therefore be misleading; its distinction was sustained use across a long-duration cargo mission.
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What Dragon brought back
Dragon returned a mixture of research, equipment and other cargo—not research alone. Its ability to survive reentry and splash down intact gives investigators access to samples and hardware for analysis on Earth. NASA highlighted several investigations aboard CRS-33:
- Euro Material Ageing: Researchers exposed 141 samples to the space environment for a year. They will assess how coatings, insulation and 3D-printed materials changed, information that may help guide the design of hardware for long missions.
- Liquid Crystals: This investigation studied the stability and behavior of liquid-crystal films in microgravity. The findings could inform work on displays and optical devices.
- Stellar Stem Cells Mission 2: Frozen samples are being returned for analysis of how microgravity affects brain and heart stem-cell growth. The work could contribute to studies of conditions such as ALS and Parkinson’s disease; it is not evidence of a treatment.
- SpaceDuino: A specific system using a commercially available single-board computer and open-source software measured vibrations in space. It demonstrates one approach to lower-cost instrumentation, not that consumer electronics generally are ready for flight.
- Moon Microscope: The portable kit was tested for blood analysis in space. The results may help assess tools for future lunar or Mars missions, but a technology demonstration is not the same as clinical validation.
Samples can be time-sensitive and may need controlled handling or prompt delivery to laboratories. Returning them intact is therefore a scientific capability in its own right, alongside carrying supplies and hardware to the station. NASA’s CRS-33 departure briefing outlines the investigations returning for study.
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Why this mission matters—and what it does not mean
CRS-33 combined two useful roles: delivering cargo and helping maintain the ISS orbit. Reboost capability adds flexibility and redundancy to station operations, but it does not make Dragon the sole means of keeping the ISS in orbit or replace Progress and other visiting vehicles. Reboost maneuvers also require propellant, mission planning and coordination with station activities.
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Nor did the mission alter the station’s long-term plans or solve orbital decay indefinitely. Atmospheric drag continues, so the ISS will still need orbital maintenance. The achievement is narrower and more practical: Dragon demonstrated repeated use of an additional reboost capability during a long cargo stay, then returned experiments and hardware for Earth-based examination.
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For NASA’s departure and return timeline, see its February 26 mission update. NASA also notes that Dragon’s return was part of a broader flow of station cargo operations, rather than a replacement for other cargo vehicles.
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