Dragon post-splashdown, SpaceX'sDragon spacecraft returned to Earth from the International Space Station, safely splashing down ap...
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| Dragon post-splashdown, |
SpaceX'sDragon spacecraft returned to Earth from the International Space Station, safely splashing down approximately 250 miles off the coast of southern California.
The capsule parachuted into the water at 1922 GMT after an 18-day mission to resupply the space station .
Dragon departed the station early this morning with 1,673 pounds of return cargo including hardware, supplies, and a GLACIER freezer packedwith scientific samples. Dragon is the only craft capable of returning a significant amount of supplies to Earth, and this mission marks the first time since the space shuttle that NASA has been able to return research samples for analysis.
The SpaceX recovery team is now transporting Dragon by boat to a port near Los Angeles, where early cargo will be delivered to NASA. Dragon then will be transported to SpaceX's facility in McGregor, Texas for processing. There, the remaining cargo will be delivered to NASA.
The mission, called CRS-1, began October 7, when the Falcon 9 rocket launched Dragon from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. SpaceX and NASA are currently investigating an anomaly that occurred with one of Falcon 9's first-stage engines during the launch. Analysis to date supports initial findings: the engine experienced a rapid loss of pressure and Falcon 9's flight computer immediately commanded shutdown, as it is designed to do in such cases. The team will continue to meticulously analyze all data in an effort to determine root cause and will apply those findings to future flights.
This mission is the first of at least 12 to the International Space Station that SpaceX will fly under NASA's Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contract.
The crew released Dragon, at approximately 6:25 a.m. PT Sunday.
Dragon then began a series of thruster firings to carry it away from the space station, closed its GNC door, and began its deorbit burn. Ready to reenter the atmosphere, Dragon jettisoned its trunk and solar arrays, positioned itself so that its PICA-X heat shield faces the Earth, and proceeded into the Earth’s atmosphere.
When Dragon reached 13,700 meters (45,000 feet) above sea level, it will deployed two drogue parachutes to slow its descent. At 3,000 meters (10,000 feet), it deployed its three main parachutes and drifted slowly toward the splashdown site.
