A SpaceX vehicle is prepped to depart from the International Space Station and make its way back to Earth for a splashdown near California.
The upcoming undocking and return trip for the Dragon cargo capsule would end the 34th resupply mission that entrepreneur Elon Musk’s commercial rocket company has carried out on behalf of NASA. The Dragon vehicle reached the iconic orbital outpost in the middle of May following a rocket launch from Florida.
Launching the capsule into orbit was SpaceX’s two-stage Falcon 9 – the most active rocket in the world. The next time the Falcon 9 launches with a Dragon perched on top, it will be with humans aboard on a mission known as Crew-13, which is expected to relieve four astronauts at the ISS in September.
Watch NASA+ content with Amazon Prime Video
Want to watch the Dragon begin its return journey? Here’s what to know and how to watch NASA’s live coverage.
What is the International Space Station?
The International Space Station has been stationed in low-Earth orbit for more than 25 years, typically about 260 miles high, where it has been home to astronauts from all over the world. Throughout its lifespan, the station has served as a test bed for scientific research in microgravity and has in years past opened itself up to private commercial missions.
The orbital laboratory is operated through a global partnership of space agencies, including NASA, Roscosmos, the European Space Agency, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and the Canadian Space Agency.
More than 290 spacefarers from 26 countries have visited the International Space Station, including 170 from the United States alone, according to NASA.
SpaceX vehicle set to depart ISS today for California splashdown
An uncrewed SpaceX cargo vehicle that arrived May 17 at the International Space Station is set to make its departure and head back to Earth.
The capsule, known as Dragon, is scheduled to undock at 9:05 a.m. PT Tuesday, June 16, from the Earth-facing port on the Harmony Module, which contains some sleeping quarters and connects the laboratories of the ISS.
The departure will mark the end of about a one-month stay for the vehicle, which reached the ISS in mid-May after launching atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
No astronauts will be aboard the spacecraft when it makes its way to the ground, but the Dragon will be leaving with thousands of pounds of cargo, according to NASA. That includes the results of research and science experiments conducted aboard the orbital laboratory, which will be analyzed by scientists on Earth.
How to watch NASA coverage of CRS-34 undocking
NASA’s coverage is scheduled to begin at 8:45 a.m. PT Tuesday, June 16, the agency said. The livestream will be available on the agency’s free NASA+ streaming service, as well as NASA’s YouTube channel and Amazon Prime.
Livestream: Watch cargo spacecraft undock, head to Earth
What is the SpaceX Dragon capsule?
The SpaceX Dragon is the only U.S. vehicle capable of transporting astronauts to and from the space station.
Standing nearly 27 feet tall and about 13 feet wide, Dragon capsules can carry up to seven astronauts into orbit, though most of SpaceX’s Crew missions, which are contracted with NASA, feature a contingent of four.
The Dragon is additionally among the cargo spacecraft that deliver science experiments and other cargo to the space station on a regular basis.
SpaceX Dragon to make splashdown near California
If it departs on time, the vehicle is expected to make a parachute-assisted water landing Wednesday, June 17, in the Pacific Ocean near California.
NASA will not stream the splashdown, expected for 5:08 a.m. PT, but will post updates on its space station blog.
The parachute-assisted water landing would make the Dragon the latest spacecraft to splash into the Pacific Ocean after NASA and SpaceX in early 2025 shifted spaceflight recovery operations from Florida to the West Coast. Most recently, the four astronauts who traveled around the moon in April as part of NASA’s Artemis II mission made a water landing off the coast of San Diego, bringing to an end a historic mission.
What astronauts are on the International Space Station?
Seven astronauts who are part of Expedition 74 are living and working aboard the International Space Station.
That includes four people who are part of the Crew-12 mission that docked in mid-February: NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, as well as the European Space Agency’s Sophie Adenot and Russian cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev. The Crew-12 contingent are due to depart in September following the arrival of Crew-13.
NASA astronaut Chris Williams and Russians Sergey Mikaev and Sergey Kud-Sverchkov, who arrived at the end of November on a Soyuz MS-28 spacecraft, will also be at the orbital laboratory until their replacements arrive in July.
Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@usatodayco.com
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Watch live as SpaceX vehicle departs ISS for California splashdown
Reporting by Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY NETWORK / Palm Springs Desert Sun
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY NETWORK | USA TODAY Network
