The SpaceX Dragon cargo spaceship is
grappled by the International Space Station's Canadarm2.
The spacecraft delivered about 7,000 pounds of science and research
investigations on April 10, including the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module
(BEAM).
Credits: NASA
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After delivering almost 7,000 pounds of cargo to the International
Space Station, including the Bigelow
Expandable Activity Module (BEAM), the SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft is
set to leave the orbital laboratory with valuable science research and return
to Earth on Wednesday, May 11. NASA Television will provide live coverage of
Dragon's departure beginning at 9 a.m. EDT.
The Dragon spacecraft, which arrived at the station April 10, will
be detached from the Earth-facing side of the station's Harmony module using the
Canadarm2 robotic arm, operated by ground controllers at NASA’s Johnson Space
Center in Houston. Robotics controllers will maneuver Dragon into place and
Expedition 47 robotic arm operator Tim Peake of ESA (European Space Agency)
will execute the command for its 9:18 a.m. release.
Dragon will fire its thrusters three times to move to a safe
distance from the station before being commanded to begin its deorbit burn
about 2 p.m. The capsule will splash down in the Pacific Ocean about 2:55 p.m.
The deorbit burn and splashdown will not be broadcast on NASA TV.
A recovery team will retrieve the capsule and its more than 3,700
pounds of return cargo, including samples from ongoing space station research,
which ultimately will be shipped to laboratories for further study. This cargo
includes samples from human research, biology and biotechnology studies,
physical science investigations and education activities sponsored by NASA and
the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS), the nonprofit
organization that manages research aboard the U.S. national laboratory portion
of the space station. The spacecraft also will return the final batch of human
research samples from the one-year crew
mission.
In the event of adverse weather conditions in the Pacific, the
backup departure and splashdown date is Saturday, May 14.
Dragon, the only space station resupply spacecraft able to return
to Earth intact, launched April 8 on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape
Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, for the company’s eighth
NASA-contracted commercial resupply mission to the station.
For NASA TV scheduling and video streaming information, visit:
For more information about the International Space Station, its
research and crews, visit: