SpaceX Dragon 2 cargo ship docks on International Space Station

Cargo Dragon capsule docks at the International Space Station

The capsule is bringing supplies to crews aboard the ISS, including some holiday treats.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - SpaceX's next-generation, uncrewed Dragon 2 cargo ship has docked on the International Space Station Monday for the aerospace company's 21st contracted commercial resupply mission.

The Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket launched at 11:17 a.m. EST on Sunday from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The spacecraft, which carried over 6,400 pounds of equipment and supplies, including "Christmas goodies" for a tasty holiday dinner, was orbiting about 268 miles (431 kilometers) above the southern Indian Ocean, near Australia, before docking to the station's Harmony module at 1:40 p.m.

The docking was delayed by 10 mintutes due to spotty communications with ground controllers during the last leg of the Dragon's trip.

SpaceX Cargo Dragon docks at the ISS

The Dragon capsule is bringing supplies for the crew at the International Space Station, including holiday treats.

According to NASA, the mission will include a study aimed at better understanding heart disease to support development of treatments for patients on Earth, research into how microbes can be used for biomining on asteroids, and a tool being tested for quick and accurate blood analysis in microgravity.

In addition, the Dragon cargo spacecraft has delivered the first commercially owned and operated airlock on the space station, the Nanoracks Bishop Airlock, which will provide a variety of capabilities to the ISS orbiting laboratory, including CubeSat deployment and support of external payloads.