AlQa'dah 24, 1433, Oct 10, 2012, SPA - Space station astronauts have snared a Dragon, AP reported. The commercial supply ship reached the International Space Station on Wednesday morning after a 21⁄2-day flight from Cape Canaveral. The station crew used a robot arm to grab the SpaceX vessel, called Dragon. It's the first official delivery by the California-based SpaceX company under a $1.6 billion contract with NASA. The contract calls for 12 such shipments. This newest Dragon holds 1,000 pounds (453 kilograms) of groceries, clothes, science experiments and other gear, including ice cream for the three station residents. It will remain at the orbiting lab for nearly three weeks before departing with a full load. Dragon is the only cargo ship capable of bringing back research and other items, filling a void left by NASA's retired shuttles.
