SpaceX capsule returns with 2 NASA astronauts from space station
The SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft that carried two NASA astronauts to the International Space Station two months ago was returned from the orbiting laboratory on Saturday.
"Falcon 9 launched Crew Dragon with @NASA astronauts @AstroBehnken and @Astro_Doug on board the spacecraft to the @Space_Station two months ago and returned human spaceflight to the United States." SpaceX said in a tweet.
Earlier SpaceX tweeted, "SpaceX and @NASA are targeting 7:34 p.m. EDT on Saturday, August 1 for Crew Dragon and the two astronauts to depart the orbiting laboratory and return to Earth,"
After receiving a weather briefing from the US Air Force 45th Weather Squadron on Friday evening, NASA said conditions remain "Go" at several of the needed target locations for splashdown and recovery off the Florida coast on Sunday aboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon "Endeavour" spacecraft.
NASA and SpaceX made decision on a primary splashdown target approximately six hours before undocking.
Teams continue to closely monitor Hurricane Isaias and evaluate impacts to the landing sites in the Gulf of Mexico along the Florida Panhandle, NASA said.
Teams have several weather decision milestones ahead of and after undocking to adjust the splashdown location and time based on the forecasted conditions for recovery.
Splashdown remains scheduled at 2.42 pm EDT on Sunday.
The return of NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley from the space station wrapped up the SpaceX second demonstration (Demo-2) mission.
The Demo-2 mission is the final major milestone for SpaceX's human spaceflight system to be certified by NASA for operational crew missions to and from the space station.
