SpaceX Dragon Surpasses the Space Shuttle for Most Time Spent in Space in Visits to the ISS

An incredible feat for the private space company.

The private space company of SpaceX may be the chosen one in today's cosmic race as they are the most prominent name in the industry, but the company only recently beat the record of NASA's Space Shuttle in most cumulative time in space. Yes, Elon Musk's company, particularly its Dragon spacecraft, is now the leading record holder for its presence in the cosmos.

SpaceX
ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images

This is a massive achievement for SpaceX, especially as it only shows how much they are trusted by different companies, including the national space agency, in bringing astronauts to space or going to the ISS for resupply missions.

SpaceX Dragon Surpasses Space Shuttle for Most Time in Space

In a series of tweets by SpaceX, the company relayed important events that took place earlier this week which signified the many achievements of SpaceX and its ever-reliable Dragon spacecraft. Back on Monday, June 5, the company launched the 20th mission of the Dragon spacecraft toward the International Space Station.

It also marked the company's 38th total trip towards the orbiting space station, a feat that surpassed even that of NASA's Space Shuttle, which previously held the record.

The Space Shuttle has flown a remarkable series of flights in its more than 30 years of service, fulfilling the spaceflights in the early 1980s to the modern times.

SpaceX's Many Milestones in the Recent Mission

The biggest milestone in SpaceX Dragon's history is that it also took the top spot for the most cumulative time in space for its trips toward orbit and the space station. In total, the spacecraft has accumulated as many as 1,324 total days in space, surpassing the 30-year career of the Space Shuttle, in less time for the private space company's reusable spacecraft.

SpaceX Remains a Leader in Space

In the many missions to orbit and space nowadays, SpaceX is a prominent name that different companies and investors mostly select to fulfill their goals of coming to see what is beyond the planet. Moreover, the company is the trusted vessel to bring important payloads to the ISS, taking, for example, the heart tissue chips sent for study.

SpaceX's combination of the Dragon and Falcon rockets has been the most used in recent times, and it seems that the company will not yet retire these in the coming years. It has been tasked to bring NASA's Commercial Crew for years now, with the other assigned company, Boeing, yet to bring the Starliner to fulfill their end of the stick.

Elon Musk's company grew into one massive space company which is now trusted by thousands in getting their payloads or crew to space, even with agencies like NASA. It has recently achieved a massive milestone that will be hard to beat in the space race, especially as SpaceX is not yet backing down and storing its Dragon and Falcon just yet.

Isaiah Richard
TechTimes
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