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| Back to Earth: SpaceX capsule returns from International Space Station | Back to Earth: SpaceX capsule returns from International Space Station |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| Related: Russia restarts Progress spacecraft and corrects ISS orbit after series of failures | Related: Russia restarts Progress spacecraft and corrects ISS orbit after series of failures |
| A SpaceX Dragon cargo capsule made a parachute splashdown into the Pacific Ocean on Thursday, wrapping up a five-week stay at the International Space Station. | A SpaceX Dragon cargo capsule made a parachute splashdown into the Pacific Ocean on Thursday, wrapping up a five-week stay at the International Space Station. |
| The capsule blasted off on 14 April on board a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral air force station in Florida and arrived at the orbiting outpost three days later with more than 4,300lb (1,950kg) of food, supplies and science experiments for the live-aboard crew. | The capsule blasted off on 14 April on board a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral air force station in Florida and arrived at the orbiting outpost three days later with more than 4,300lb (1,950kg) of food, supplies and science experiments for the live-aboard crew. |
| It was repacked with 3,100lb of science samples and other equipment and released back into orbit at 7.04am EDT (1104 GMT) on Thursday for a return trip to Earth, a Nasa TV broadcast showed. | It was repacked with 3,100lb of science samples and other equipment and released back into orbit at 7.04am EDT (1104 GMT) on Thursday for a return trip to Earth, a Nasa TV broadcast showed. |
| Riding beneath a trio of parachutes, the capsule splashed down in the Pacific at 12.42pm EDT about 155 miles (249km) south-west of Long Beach, California, Nasa said. | Riding beneath a trio of parachutes, the capsule splashed down in the Pacific at 12.42pm EDT about 155 miles (249km) south-west of Long Beach, California, Nasa said. |
| The returning cargo includes roundworms that are part of a medical study to assess physiological changes that affect ageing. A second investigation is looking into how the microgravity environment changes the worms’ muscle fibres, information that may provide insight into mitigating astronauts’ loss of muscle mass on long-duration flights. | |
| SpaceX is one of two firms hired by Nasa to fly cargo to the station following the retirement of the space shuttles in 2011. | |
| Owned and run by technology entrepreneur Elon Musk, SpaceX made a test run to the station in May 2012 and is now halfway through its original 12-flight, $1.6bn contract with Nasa. | Owned and run by technology entrepreneur Elon Musk, SpaceX made a test run to the station in May 2012 and is now halfway through its original 12-flight, $1.6bn contract with Nasa. |
| Nasa last year added three more flights to SpaceX’s agreement, for an undisclosed amount. SpaceX’s next launch to the station is slated for 26 June. | Nasa last year added three more flights to SpaceX’s agreement, for an undisclosed amount. SpaceX’s next launch to the station is slated for 26 June. |
| Nasa’s second supply line to the station is temporarily grounded, following a launch accident in October. The contractor, Orbital ATK, is revamping its Antares rocket and hopes to be flying again in March. | Nasa’s second supply line to the station is temporarily grounded, following a launch accident in October. The contractor, Orbital ATK, is revamping its Antares rocket and hopes to be flying again in March. |
| Meanwhile, it is buying a rocket ride for its next Cygnus cargo ship from United Launch Alliance, a partnership of Lockheed Martin and Boeing, with launch targeted for late this year. | Meanwhile, it is buying a rocket ride for its next Cygnus cargo ship from United Launch Alliance, a partnership of Lockheed Martin and Boeing, with launch targeted for late this year. |
| Russia and Japan also fly freighters to the station, though an accident, which remains under investigation, claimed the last Russian Progress capsule in April. | Russia and Japan also fly freighters to the station, though an accident, which remains under investigation, claimed the last Russian Progress capsule in April. |
| SpaceX is developing a version of the Dragon capsule to fly astronauts and expects to begin test flights next year. | SpaceX is developing a version of the Dragon capsule to fly astronauts and expects to begin test flights next year. |