SpaceX Dragon Undocks from Station for Splashdown on Sunday

SpaceX Dragon Undocks from Station for Splashdown on Sunday

May 23, 2025: International Space Station Configuration. Four spaceships are parked at the space station including the SpaceX Dragon crew spacecraft, the Soyuz MS-27 crew ship, and the Progress 90 and 91 resupply ships.
May 23, 2025: International Space Station Configuration. Four spaceships are parked at the space station including the SpaceX Dragon crew spacecraft, the Soyuz MS-27 crew ship, and the Progress 90 and 91 resupply ships.
NASA

At 12:05 p.m. EDT, the unpiloted SpaceX Dragon spacecraft undocked from the zenith, or space-facing, port of the International Space Station’s Harmony module following a command from ground controllers at SpaceX. 

After re-entering Earth’s atmosphere, the spacecraft will splash down at approximately 1:45 a.m. on Sunday, May 25, off the coast of California. NASA will post updates on the agency’s space station blog but will not stream the splashdown. 

Filled with about 6,700 pounds of crew supplies, science investigations, and equipment, the spacecraft arrived to the orbiting laboratory on April 22 after it launched April 21 on a Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for the agency’s SpaceX 32nd commercial resupply services mission. 

Learn more about station activities by following the space station blog, @space_station and @ISS_Research on X, as well as the ISS Facebook and ISS Instagram accounts.

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Mark A. Garcia

NASA+ Coverage is Live as SpaceX Dragon Prepares to Undock

NASA+ Coverage is Live as SpaceX Dragon Prepares to Undock

The SpaceX Dragon cargo craft, with its nosecone open, approaches the International Space Station for an automated docking to the Harmony module's space-facing port. Dragon delivered about 6,700 pounds of new science experiments and crew supplies replenishing the Expedition 73 crew.
The SpaceX Dragon cargo craft, with its nosecone open, approaches the International Space Station for an automated docking to the Harmony module’s space-facing port on April 22, 2025.
NASA

NASA’s live coverage of undocking and departure of the agency’s SpaceX 32nd commercial resupply services mission is underway on NASA+. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of platforms. 

The unpiloted SpaceX Dragon spacecraft will undock at 12:05 p.m. EDT from the zenith, or space-facing, port of the International Space Station’s Harmony module and fire its thrusters to move a safe distance away from orbiting complex.  After re-entering Earth’s atmosphere, the spacecraft will splash down at approximately 1:45 a.m. on Sunday, May 25, off the coast of California. NASA will post updates on the agency’s space station blog but will not stream the splashdown. 

Filled with about 6,700 pounds of crew supplies, science investigations, and equipment, the spacecraft arrived at the orbiting laboratory on April 22. The spacecraft launched on April 21 on a Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. 

Learn more about station activities by following the space station blog, @space_station and @ISS_Research on X, as well as the ISS Facebook and ISS Instagram accounts.

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Mark A. Garcia

NASA and SpaceX Target Friday for Dragon Undocking

NASA and SpaceX Target Friday for Dragon Undocking

The SpaceX Cargo Dragon resupply ship departs the space station
A SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft is photographed departing the International Space Station on July 8, 2021.
NASA

NASA and SpaceX now are targeting 12:05 p.m. EDT Friday, May 23, for the undocking of company’s 32nd commercial resupply services mission from the International Space Station. Live coverage of Dragon spacecraft undocking and departure begins at 11:45 a.m. on NASA+. Mission teams will continue to review weather conditions off the coast of California ahead of Dragon’s departure from the orbital complex. 

After re-entering Earth’s atmosphere, the spacecraft will splash down at approximately 1:45 a.m. on Sunday, May 25, off the coast of California. NASA will post updates on the agency’s space station blog. There is no livestream video of the splashdown.

Learn more about station activities by following the space station blog, @space_station and @ISS_Research on X, as well as the ISS Facebook and ISS Instagram accounts.

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Mark A. Garcia

Dragon Undocking Adjusted to Friday as Space Science Continues

Dragon Undocking Adjusted to Friday as Space Science Continues

The SpaceX Dragon cargo craft, with its nosecone open, approaches the International Space Station for an automated docking to the Harmony module's space-facing port. Dragon delivered about 6,700 pounds of new science experiments and crew supplies replenishing the Expedition 73 crew.
The SpaceX Dragon cargo craft, with its nosecone open, approaches the International Space Station for an automated docking to the Harmony module’s space-facing port on April 22, 2025.
NASA

A SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft will wait one more day before departing the International Space Station as mission managers monitor weather conditions at its splashdown site off the coast of California. Meanwhile, the Expedition 73 crew eased its cargo loading activities and focused on ongoing microgravity research to improve health on and off the Earth.

Dragon will extend its stay at the orbital lab by 24 hours and shift its undocking time to 12:05 p.m. EDT on Friday. Support personnel are waiting for visibility conditions to improve at the splashdown site in order to safely retrieve Dragon after its parachute-assisted splashdown in the waters near California. NASA+ will begin is undocking coverage at 11:45 a.m.

NASA Flight Engineers Anne McClain, Nichole Ayers, and Jonny Kim along with station Commander Takuya Onishi from JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) continued loading Dragon with completed science experiments, time-critical research samples, and lab hardware before closing its hatch. Kim also installed spacecraft monitoring hardware in the cupola and Tranquility module that he will use when he supervises Dragon’s departure on Friday.

At the end of their shift on Thursday, Kim and McClain partnered together for a look at how the retina is affected by microgravity for the CIPHER suite of 14 human research investigations. The duo first set up optical hardware for imaging the retina’s response to light. Kim then attached sensors around his eyes and forehead measuring his retinas’ light sensitivity. Afterward, Kim peered into medical imaging gear with assistance from McClain as ground doctors observed the back of his eye in real time to understand potential space-caused vision issues.

Ayers opened up the Kibo laboratory module’s Life Science Glovebox and installed a 3D imaging microscope also known as Extant Life Volumetric Imaging System, or ELVIS. She then tested viewing bacteria samples in the specialized microscope that could be used to monitor water quality and detect infectious organisms on spacecraft.

Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexey Zubritskiy wrapped up a 24-hour session monitoring his heart activity and blood pressure for a study monitoring a crew member’s cardiovascular system. Next, he assisted fellow cosmonaut Kirill Peskov as he pedaled on an exercise cycle for a regular physical fitness exam. Peskov then spent the rest of his day on computer networking and orbital plumbing maintenance. Veteran Flight Engineer Sergey Ryzhikov deactivated ultraviolet atmospheric observation hardware then serviced the Elektron oxygen generator.

Learn more about station activities by following the space station blog, @space_station and @ISS_Research on X, as well as the ISS Facebook and ISS Instagram accounts.

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Mark A. Garcia

NASA, SpaceX Stand Down 24 Hours for Dragon Undocking

NASA, SpaceX Stand Down 24 Hours for Dragon Undocking

International Space Station Configuration. Five spaceships are parked at the space station including the SpaceX Dragon crew and cargo spacecraft, the Soyuz MS-27 crew ship, and the Progress 90 and 91 resupply ships.
Five spaceships are parked at the space station including the SpaceX Dragon crew and cargo spacecraft, the Soyuz MS-27 crew ship, and the Progress 90 and 91 resupply ships.
NASA

NASA and SpaceX are standing down from Thursday’s undocking opportunity of Dragon, filled with science, from the International Space Station. Mission teams will continue to review weather conditions off the coast of California, which currently are not favorable for splashdown operations, and set a new target opportunity for the return of SpaceX’s 32nd commercial resupply services mission for NASA.

The next weather review is planned for 12 p.m. EDT, with the next available undocking opportunity on Friday, May 23. NASA will provide additional information on the next undocking opportunity as available.

Learn more about station activities by following the space station blog, @space_station and @ISS_Research on X, as well as the ISS Facebook and ISS Instagram accounts.

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Mark A. Garcia