SpaceX Dragon Spacecraft Carrying NASA Cargo Ready for Return to Earth

March 22, 2013

Trent J. Perrotto
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1100
trent.j.perrotto@nasa.gov

Josh Byerly
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111
josh.byerly@nasa.gov

MEDIA ADVISORY: M13-051

SPACEX DRAGON SPACECRAFT CARRYING NASA CARGO READY FOR RETURN TO EARTH

WASHINGTON -- More than three weeks after arriving at the
International Space Station, the Space Exploration Technologies Corp.
(SpaceX) Dragon spacecraft is ready for the trip back to Earth, now
scheduled for Tuesday, March 26.

Dragon's originally scheduled March 25 return date was postponed due
to inclement weather developing near its targeted splashdown site in
the Pacific Ocean. The additional day spent attached to the orbiting
laboratory will not affect science samples scheduled to return aboard
the spacecraft.

NASA Television will provide coverage of Dragon's departure beginning
at 4 a.m. EDT.

Dragon is scheduled to be detached from the Earth-facing side of the
station's Harmony module and unberthed by Expedition 35 Flight
Engineer and NASA astronaut Tom Marshburn. Expedition 35 Commander
Chris Hadfield of the Canadian Space Agency will back-up Marshburn
and monitor Dragon's systems during the activity.

Marshburn, working from the robotic work station in the space
station's cupola, will maneuver the station's robotic arm for the
release of the spacecraft at 7:06 a.m. Dragon will execute three
thruster firings to move away from the station to a safe distance for
its deorbit burn at 11:40 a.m. Dragon will splash down around 12:36
p.m. in the Pacific Ocean west of Baja California.

Dragon is the only space station resupply spacecraft able to return to
Earth intact. It will return about 2,668 pounds (1,210 kilograms) of
science samples from human research, biology and biotechnology
studies, physical science investigations and education activities.

Experiment samples coming back to Earth will help researchers continue
to assess the impact of long-duration spaceflight on the human body.
Returning plant samples will aid in food production during future
long-duration space missions and enhance crop production on Earth.
Crystals grown aboard and returning from the station could help in
the development of more efficient solar cells and semiconductor-based
electronics.

For NASA TV schedule and video streaming information, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

For more information about SpaceX, including ways to connect on social
media, visit:

http://www.spacex.com

For more information about the International Space Station, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/station


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