Space Exploration Technologies Corp.‘s (SpaceX) Dragon spacecraft returned to Earth from the International Space Station (ISS), splashing down Sunday approximately 250 miles off the coast of southern California, according to a SpaceX statement.
Dragon departed the station early Sunday morning with 1,673 pounds of return cargo, including hardware, supplies and a freezer packed with scientific samples. SpaceX said Dragon is the only spacecraft 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.
Dragon originally berthed with the ISS Oct. 10 (Defense Daily, Oct. 11).
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 will then be transported to SpaceX’s facility in McGregor, Texas, for processing, after which the remaining cargo will be delivered to NASA.
The cargo resupply mission, called CRS-1, began Oct. 7, when the Falcon 9 rocket launched Dragon from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. SpaceX and NASA are currently investigating an anomaly that occurred with one of Falcon 9’s first-stage engines during launch. SpaceX said analysis to date support 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 SpaceX-NASA team will continue to analyze data in an effort to determine root cause.
CRS-1 is the first of at least 12 missions to the ISS that SpaceX will fly under NASA’s Commercial Resupply Services contract.