A SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft has undocked from the International Space Station (ISS) and is now en route back to Earth. The uncrewed capsule detached from the orbiting laboratory on Monday at 12:25 p.m. EDT (1625 GMT), following its launch on May 15 for its 34th resupply mission for NASA.
The Dragon is expected to make a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California on Wednesday, shortly after 8 a.m. EDT (1200 GMT). NASA officials confirmed the undocking occurred while the spacecraft were approximately 260 miles (418 kilometers) above the northern Pacific Ocean.
Return of Scientific Research
The cargo capsule is returning to Earth carrying thousands of pounds of equipment and scientific samples. These materials are anticipated to inform future space exploration and potentially benefit life on Earth.
Among the returning research are bioprinted organ and cartilage tissue, data focused on improving cryogenic fuel storage for future space missions, and DNA-inspired materials intended for the development of new cancer treatments. The hardware being brought back includes an ocular imaging device designed to monitor astronauts’ eye health, an absorbent bed for filtering cabin air contaminants, and a separator pump from the station’s waste and hygiene compartment.
Dragon’s Unique Capability
The SpaceX Dragon is noted as the only currently operational ISS cargo spacecraft capable of surviving the intense heat of reentry through Earth’s atmosphere. In contrast, other active cargo vehicles such as Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus, Russia’s Progress, and Japan’s HTV-X are expendable and designed to burn up during their return to Earth.
The Dragon spacecraft arrived at the ISS two days after its May 15 launch, delivering nearly 6,500 pounds (2,950 kilograms) of essential supplies, including food, scientific hardware, and other equipment for the astronauts aboard the station.
Steve Lopez is the Editorial Page Editor for News Raise. He covers Health. He has won more than a dozen national journalism awards for his reporting and column writing at seven newspapers and four news magazines.
