SpaceX Capsule Back on Earth

A SpaceX capsule is back on Earth with a full load of space station science samples, reports the AP. The Dragon cargo ship parachuted into the Pacific on Sunday off the Southern California coast. Astronauts set it free from the International Space Station 5½ hours earlier. The Dragon flew to the space station a month ago from the same Florida launch pad used for NASA's Apollo moon shots. It took up more than 5,000 pounds of supplies and Spaceflight Now reports that it brought back 3,600 pounds of cargo, including blood and urine samples and experiments on catastrophic bone injuries and osteoporosis. It's the capsule's 10th mission.

NASA's other supplier, Orbital ATK, plans to launch its own supply ship Friday, also from Cape Canaveral. That one, however, burns up on re-entry. The space station is home to one Frenchman, two Americans, and three Russians. (More SpaceX stories.)