The SpaceX CRS-1 flight and those expected to begin in 2013 with a second ISS resupply provider, Orbital Sciences Corp., of Dulles, Va., bode well for efforts by U.S. policy makers to shift NASA’s focus away from Earth-orbit operations to deep-space science initiatives and human exploration, Bolden says.

“What this does is strengthen our position of leadership,” he said of U.S. global standing in space. “Every time we have a successful mission, that gives the nonbelievers one more opportunity to get on board.”

Aboard the ISS, NASA and Japanese astronauts Sunita Williams and Akihiko Hoshide will be positioned in the Cupola observation deck at the controls of Canada’s robot arm as Dragon makes its Oct. 10 approach. Once Dragon is within reach of the 58-ft.-long robot arm, the two astronauts will grapple and berth the capsule. The grapple is scheduled for 7:23 a.m. EDT.

As the CRS-1 freighter is off-loaded, the spacecraft will be reloaded with more than 1,200 lb. of frozen biomedical specimens, research gear and equipment headed back to Earth.

Current scheduling calls for Dragon to depart the orbiting science lab on Oct. 28, followed by a same-day parachute descent into the Pacific Ocean about 250 mi. off the Southern California coast. SpaceX recovery ships will be standing by.

Each of the Dragon mission milestones was successfully demonstrated in May during NASA’s Commercial Orbital Transportation Systems program flight.