Canadian astronaut David Saint-Jacques ‘catches’ SpaceX supply capsule using International Space Station’s giant robot arm

The Dragon capsule delivered 2,500kg (5,500 pounds) of equipment and experiments.

Canadian astronaut David Saint-Jacques used the station’s big robot arm – also made in Canada – to capture the Dragon about 400km (250 miles) above the North Atlantic Ocean. An external cable that normally comes off during launch dangled from the capsule, but it did not interfere with the grappling.

“Welcome on board, Dragon,” Saint-Jacques radioed. He congratulated ground teams for their help – in English and French.

Saint-Jacques later told Canadian schoolchildren it was “a big moment of pride” to grab the Dragon using the station’s 18-metre (58-foot) robot arm – Canada’s main contribution to the space station.