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SpaceX Cargo Ship Set to Depart ISS, Watch Live
A SpaceX cargo vessel is scheduled to commence its return journey to Earth today, concluding a five-week mission at the International Space Station (ISS). The Dragon capsule is slated to undock from the ISS around 1:05 p.m. EDT, marking the end of its stay at the orbiting laboratory. This mission, known as CRS-30, represents the 30th SpaceX resupply flight to the ISS under a contract with NASA.
The CRS-30 mission began on March 21 with a successful launch atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Following the launch, the capsule rendezvoused with the ISS on March 23, delivering over 3 tons of scientific equipment and supplies to the station. The Dragon capsule will also return to Earth carrying more than 4,100 pounds of supplies and scientific experiments, specially designed to leverage the microgravity environment of space.
According to NASA officials, the splashdown off the coast of Florida allows for rapid transportation of the experiments to NASA’s Space Systems Processing Facility at Kennedy Space Center. This swift transfer enables researchers to gather data with minimal exposure to Earth’s gravity, optimizing scientific outcomes.
Exclusive Capabilities of Dragon Capsule
Notably, the Dragon capsule is the sole cargo spacecraft capable of safely returning gear from the ISS. In contrast, other operational space freighters such as Russia’s Progress vehicle and Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus spacecraft disintegrate upon re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere after completing their missions in orbit.
Following the departure of CRS-30, a SpaceX vehicle will remain docked at the ISS – the Dragon assigned to the Crew-8 astronaut mission for NASA. The Crew-8 mission, launched on March 3, transported NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, Jeanette Epps, and Alexander Grebenkin of Russia’s space agency Roscosmos to the ISS for a scheduled six-month stay.
For those interested in witnessing the departure of the SpaceX cargo ship live, coverage will be available here on Space.com courtesy of NASA. The event is set to begin around 12:45 p.m. EDT. Stay tuned to witness the conclusion of this significant mission to the ISS.
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