If Dragon passes all of its demonstration tests, The Canadarm2 (Space Station arm) will grapple the capsule and dock it to the Station. This animation shows you how it will be done.

The SpaceX Dragon capsule will fly within 1.5 miles (2.5 kilometers) of the space station early Thursday.

The Dragon space capsule is due to rendezvous at the space station Thursday.

The SpaceX second demonstration mission for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program is under way, and NASA is updating its coverage of the Dragon spacecraft's flight to the International Space Station.

(AP) -- Opening a new, entrepreneurial era in spaceflight, a ship built by a billionaire businessman sped toward the International Space Station with a load of groceries and other supplies Tuesday after a spectacular middle-of-the-night blastoff.

A commercial rocket blasted off early Tuesday with a load of supplies for the International Space Station, opening a new era of dollar-driven spaceflight.

The historic first commercial spacecraft to supply the International Space Station launched aboard a Falcon 9 rocket on May 22th, 2012. If it passes all on-orbit demonstrations, it will dock with ISS on May 25th.

See astounding photos of SpaceX's Dragon capsule as it launched to the International Space Station bearing cargo.

Dragon lifted off atop a column of fire in pre-dawn Florida skies.

The Falcon 9 rocket will launch a private capsule to the space station at 3:44 a.m. ET.