In this frame grab from a NASA video, the robotic arm of the International Space Station holds the SpaceX Dragon capsule on May 25, 2012 as astronauts prepare to dock the capsule with the station. SpaceX has become the first private company to rendezvous with the orbiting lab.

CAPE CANAVERAL, FLA. - Astronauts aboard the International Space Station captured Space Exploration Technologies' unmanned Dragon cargo capsule on Friday, the first private ship to reach the orbital outpost.

Using the station's robot arm, NASA astronaut Don Pettit latched on to the capsule at 9:56 a.m. EDT as the two vehicles sailed at 17,500 mph around Earth. Dragon, which is making a test flight under a NASA contract with the company, known as SpaceX, was expected to be attached to a station docking port later on Friday.

SpaceX is one of two firms hired by NASA to fly cargo to the station following the retirement of the space shuttles last year.