The SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft has departed from the International Space Station and is now headed towards a splashdown off the coast of Florida on June 30. This mission aims to bring back 3,600 pounds of scientific materials to Earth. The cargo included various research investigations, supplies, and hardware, notably two International Space Station Roll-Out Solar Arrays (IROSAs).
Under the guidance of ground controllers at SpaceX in Hawthorne, California, the Dragon cargo spacecraft successfully undocked on June 29 at 12:30 p.m. EDT. It separated from the space-facing port of the Harmony module on the station. At the time of undocking, the station was positioned around 260 miles northeast of the Indian Ocean, near Indonesia.
Once the spacecraft re-enters Earth’s atmosphere, it will execute a parachute-assisted splashdown off the coast of Florida on Friday, June 30. The splashdown event will not be broadcasted by NASA.
Previously, the Dragon spacecraft arrived at the International Space Station on June 6 as part of SpaceX’s 28th Commercial Resupply Services mission for NASA. It delivered over 7,000 pounds of research investigations, crew supplies, and station hardware, which included the two IROSAs. The spacecraft was launched on June 5 from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, using a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft
Q: When did the SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft depart from the International Space Station?
A: The SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft departed from the International Space Station on June 29, 2023.
Q: Where is the spacecraft heading after leaving the International Space Station?
A: The spacecraft is heading towards a splashdown off the coast of Florida.
Q: What is the purpose of the cargo mission?
A: The cargo mission aims to bring back 3,600 pounds of science materials from the International Space Station to Earth.
Q: What did the cargo mission deliver to the International Space Station?
A: The cargo mission delivered research investigations, supplies, and hardware, including two International Space Station Roll-Out Solar Arrays (IROSAs).
Q: How was the undocking process of the Dragon cargo spacecraft initiated?
A: The undocking process of the Dragon cargo spacecraft was initiated by ground controllers at SpaceX in Hawthorne, California.
Q: When and where was the spacecraft launched?
A: The spacecraft was launched on June 5 from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida using a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
More about SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft
- NASA TV – Official NASA TV website where you can find live broadcasts and updates.
- SpaceX – Official website of SpaceX, the company behind the Dragon cargo spacecraft.
- International Space Station – NASA’s official page providing information about the International Space Station.
- NASA Kennedy Space Center – Official website of NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, where the launch took place.
- Launch Complex 39A – Information about Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center, the launch site for the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
- IROSAs – Information about the International Space Station Roll-Out Solar Arrays (IROSAs) that were delivered by the Dragon cargo spacecraft.
- NASA Commercial Resupply Services – Overview of NASA’s Commercial Resupply Services program, which includes missions like the SpaceX Dragon cargo missions.
