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International Space Station

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    Dragon Splashes Down Ending SpaceX Mission

    SpaceX’s Dragon cargo spacecraft splashed down in the Pacific Ocean at about 7:44 p.m. EST 259 miles southwest of Long Beach, California, marking the end of the company’s fifth contracted cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station. The spacecraft is returning about 3,700 pounds of NASA cargo and science samples from the International Space …

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    Dragon Conducts Deorbit Burn, Splashdown Next

    Dragon conducted its deorbit burn on time at 5:49pm Central time, 6:49pm Eastern time and is headed for its parachute-assisted splashdown in the Pacific some 259 statute miles southwest of Long Beach, California. Splashdown time remains approximately 6:44pm Central time, 7:44pm Eastern time (4:44pm at the splashdown site, about 2 hours, 4 minutes before sunset).

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    Dragon Set Free for Splashdown and Recovery in Pacific

    Dragon Released from Station

    The SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft was released from the International Space Station’s robotic arm at 2:10 p.m. EST. The capsule was maneuvered outside the vicinity of the space station in preparation for its return trip to Earth. The capsule is currently scheduled to splashdown in the Pacific Ocean at about 7:44 p.m., 259 miles southwest …

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    Crew Prepares for Dragon Release After Hatches Closed

    SpaceX Dragon

    The Expedition 42 crew closed the hatches to the Dragon commercial cargo craft today after loading it with critical gear and research. Dragon will be unberthed from the Harmony module then released from the grips of the Canadarm2 Tuesday afternoon. It will splashdown off the Pacific coast of Baja California for recovery by SpaceX engineers …

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    Space Freighters Prepped for Departure During Troubleshooting Activities

    Astronaut Terry Virts

    Europe’s Automated Transfer Vehicle-5 (ATV-5) is operating with one less electronics chain that provides power to its batteries after it failed Wednesday. The other three electronics chains are operating normally as flight controllers and the station crew prepare the ATV-5 for its departure Feb. 14. Cosmonauts Alexander Samokutyaev and Anton Shkaplerov set up gear in …

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    Crew Reviews Spacewalk Procedures

    Terry Virts and Samantha Cristoforetti

    Commander Barry Wilmore and Flight Engineer Terry Virts reviewed spacewalk procedures Wednesday. They are scheduled to start the first of three spacewalks Feb. 20. The duo will set up cables and communication equipment allowing the future installation of International Docking Adapters accommodating commercial crew vehicles. A CubeSat delivered to the International Space Station in January …

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    Canadarm2 Prepares to Grab Dragon; Life Science for Crew

    Flight Engineer Terry Virts

    Mission Controllers in Houston will send commands to the 57.7 foot long Canadarm2 to grapple the SpaceX Dragon space freighter Tuesday. The robotic arm will latch on to a grapple fixture ahead of next week’s release of Dragon from the Harmony module. It will splash down off the Pacific coast of Baja California loaded with …

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    Pair of Cargo Ships Prepped for Departure

    Expedition 42 Crew Members

    There are three docked space freighters at the International Space Station and two are scheduled to depart this month. The SpaceX Dragon commercial cargo craft is being loaded with research and gear for return and analysis back on Earth. The Canadarm2 will detach Dragon from the Harmony module then release it for a splashdown Feb. …

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    Pair of Space Freighters Packed for Departure

    NASA and ESA Astronauts

    A pair of docked space freighters is being loaded in preparation for next month’s departure activities. The ISS Progress 57 (57P) resupply ship is being packed with trash and discarded gear for a fiery disposal over the Pacific Ocean. The SpaceX Dragon commercial cargo craft is being loaded with experiment samples, spacesuit gear and other …

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    Robonaut’s Legs Powered Up, Station Lowers Orbit

    NASA and ESA Astronauts

    The Expedition 42 crew worked Wednesday with fruit flies, a humanoid robot and a Dragon spacecraft. Also, Europe’s Automated Transfer Vehicle-5 fired its engines for nearly five minutes, slightly lowering the station’s orbit to prepare for an upcoming ISS Progress 58 resupply mission. Commander Barry Wilmore and Italian astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti packed gear inside the …

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