TEXAS, United States (Reuters) — The Canadarm2 robotic arm on the International Space Station (ISS) was used to release the SpaceX Dragon capsule, after it had been detached from earth on Sunday (September 17).
Thrusts on the Dragon were then fired up as the capsule started its journey back to earth, where it is expected to splash down in the Pacific Ocean at 1014EDT (1414GMT) on Sunday.
Recovery forces will be awaiting the splash landing in order to retrieve the 3800-pound (1724-kilogram) capsule of cargo and research that focuses on biological and technological studies that are in Dragon.
According to the National Aeronautics Space Administration, Dragon, which launched from earth to ISS on August 14 and arrived there on the 16th of August, is the only spacecraft able to return to earth while still intact.
