The International Space Station's Expedition 31 crew grappled and attached SpaceX's Dragon capsule to the space station on Friday, marking a new era for space exploration.
This is the first time a commercial company has accomplished this type of space operation.
"Today marks another critical step in the future of American spaceflight," Nasa Administrator Charles Bolden said.
"Now that a US company has proven its ability to resupply the space station, it opens a new frontier for commercial opportunities in space - and new job creation opportunities right here in the U.S. By handing off space station transportation to the private sector, Nasa is freed up to carry out the really hard work of sending astronauts farther into the solar system than ever before.
“The Obama Administration has set us on an ambitious path forward and the Nasa and SpaceX teams are proving they are up to the task."
Following a series of system tests and a successful fly-under of the space station on Thursday, the Dragon capsule was cleared by Nasa to approach the station on Friday.
Dragon then performed a series of intricate test manoeuvres as it approached the orbiting laboratory.
These manoeuvres were required to demonstrate the manoeuvring and abort capability of Dragon prior to approaching and moving into a 65-foot (20-metre) "berthing box" where it was grappled by Nasa astronaut Don Pettit using the station's robotic arm.
Great Scotty: The capsule carried the ashes of Star Trek actor James Doohan
After an aborted launch last Saturday, the Dragon capsule lifted off last Tuesday from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
The Dragon capsule is delivering 1,014 pounds (544kg) of supplies to the station, which includes non-critical experiments, food, clothing and technology.
However, it also headed into orbit carrying the ashes of actor James Doohan, who famously played chief engineer Montgomery "Scotty" Scott on the original Star Trek television series.
Crew members will unload the cargo during a four-day period. Dragon then will be loaded with 1,367 pounds of hardware and cargo no longer needed aboard the station in preparation for the spacecraft's return to Earth.
On 31 May, the Expedition 31 crew members will detach Dragon from Harmony, manoeuvre it to a 33-foot release point and un-grapple the capsule.
Dragon will de-orbit approximately four hours after leaving the station, taking about 30 minutes to re-enter Earth's atmosphere and landing in the Pacific Ocean about 250 miles west of southern California.