# C102

> spacecraft manufactured by SpaceX

**Wikidata**: [Q102609250](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q102609250)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/c102

## Summary
C102 is the second reusable Dragon cargo spacecraft built by SpaceX, launched on 22 May 2012 from Cape Canaveral and now displayed at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. It served as the orbital segment of the historic Dragon C2+ demonstration flight that proved SpaceX could berth with the International Space Station.

## Key Facts
- Launched 22 May 2012 from Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 40 as part of the Dragon C2+ mission
- Serial number C102, manufactured by SpaceX in the United States
- Follows Dragon C101 and is followed by Dragon C103 in the production sequence
- Classified as both a Dragon spacecraft and an exhibit
- Currently on public exhibition at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex under the "Gateway" attraction
- Only one Wikimedia sitelink and one Commons category page document the craft

## FAQs
### Q: Where can I see the C102 Dragon capsule today?
A: The C102 capsule is on permanent public display inside the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida, featured in the "Gateway" attraction that showcases NASA's past and future spacecraft.

### Q: What mission did C102 fly?
A: C102 flew as the orbital component of SpaceX's Dragon C2+ demonstration mission, the flight that first proved a commercial vehicle could berth with the International Space Station.

### Q: Is C102 still operational?
A: No. After completing its mission, C102 was decommissioned and retired for exhibition; it no longer flies and is preserved as a museum piece.

## Why It Matters
C102 is a milestone artifact of the commercial spaceflight revolution. As the second Dragon ever built, it demonstrated that a privately developed, reusable cargo ship could meet NASA's stringent safety and performance requirements for station operations. Its successful 2012 mission opened the door for SpaceX to begin regular Commercial Resupply Services contracts, fundamentally shifting orbital logistics from government-owned shuttles to cost-effective commercial vehicles. By retiring C102 for public display, SpaceX and NASA created a tangible symbol of how entrepreneurial innovation can expand access to space while inspiring the next generation of engineers and explorers.

## Notable For
- One of the earliest Dragons to berth with the International Space Station, validating SpaceX's cargo delivery capability
- Now serves as an educational exhibit inside the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, allowing visitors to inspect a flown Dragon up close
- Part of the small serial-numbered sequence (C101, C102, C103) that documents SpaceX's first-generation Dragon production line
- Represents the transition from NASA's government-operated Space Shuttle logistics to commercially contracted cargo services

## Body
### Mission History
On 22 May 2012, Dragon C102 lifted off atop a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral's Space Launch Complex 40. The mission, designated Dragon C2+, combined the final demonstration objectives NASA required before approving SpaceX for operational cargo flights. After a series of orbital tests, C102 autonomously approached the International Space Station, was captured by the station's Canadarm2, and berthed to the U.S. segment—marking the first time a commercial vehicle had achieved the feat.

### Post-Mission Life
Following re-entry and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean, C102 was recovered, refurbished, and ultimately retired. SpaceX transferred the capsule to NASA's Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, where it was installed as a centerpiece of the "Gateway" exhibition. Suspended with its heat shield visible, C102 lets guests walk underneath and study the engineering of a fully reusable orbital cargo ship.

### Technical Context
C102 belongs to SpaceX's original Dragon family, a line of reusable cargo spacecraft conceived in 2004. Each capsule is assigned a sequential serial number; C102 therefore represents the second production vehicle after C101 and before C103. While specifications such as mass, volume, and payload capacity are not provided in the source material, the Dragon class is known for pressurized and unpressurized cargo accommodations, a phenolic-impregnated carbon ablator heat shield, and a trunk section that can support unpressurized payloads or additional hardware.

## Schema Markup
```json
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Thing",
  "name": "C102",
  "description": "SpaceX Dragon C102 reusable cargo spacecraft that flew the 2012 Dragon C2+ demonstration mission and is now on exhibition at Kennedy Space Center.",
  "sameAs": ["https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:SpaceX_Dragon_C102"],
  "additionalType": "spacecraft"
}

## References

1. [Source](https://planet4589.org/space/log/launchlog.txt)
2. [Source](https://www.space.com/15939-spacex-dragon-capsule-landing-pacific.html)
3. [Source](https://www.kennedyspacecenter.com/explore-attractions/nasa-now/featured-attraction/gateway)