SpaceX Dragon Cargo Spacecraft Successfully Released From ISS

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft was successfully released form the International Space Station and is now returning to the Earth, the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) said on Friday.

"The SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft was released from the International Space Station’s [ISS] robotic arm at 6:11 a.m. EDT [10:11 GMT]. The capsule will begin a series of departure burns and maneuvers to move beyond the 656-foot (200-meter) "keep out sphere" around the station for its return trip to Earth. The capsule is currently scheduled to splashdown in the Pacific Ocean about 11:47 a.m. EDT [15:47 GMT], approximately 326 miles west of Baja California," NASA said.

After splashdown the spaceship will be recovered from the ocean and delivered to the port near Los Angeles where its cargo including research materials will be removed within two days.

The SpaceX Dragon cargo ship was launched from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, United States on July 18.

The spacecraft brought two international docking adapters and a space-based DNA sequencer, which is capable of identifying microbes, diagnosing diseases and evaluating crew member's health to the ISS, according to NASA. Once installed, the international docking adapter will enable commercial ships to dock at the ISS.