A SpaceX Cargo Dragon is about to depart the International Space Station (ISS) and you can watch the entire event live online.
The spacecraft docked with the station’s Harmony module on August 30, bringing with it vital supplies for the crew, as well as a raft of science experiments for them to work on.
When Cargo Dragon departs the space station this week, it will take with it a bunch of research for scientists to further analyze back on the ground.
NASA recently confirmed the planned departure in a tweet, at the same time offering a few details on what the spacecraft will be bringing with it: “On Thursday, September 30, ISS research that could help us better understand neurodegenerative diseases, gene expression, and muscle atrophy departs the space station, returning to Earth aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft.”
What to expect
NASA will broadcast the moments leading up to the Cargo Dragon’s undocking procedure, with an audio feed between ISS astronauts and Mission Control offering viewers a better understanding of some of the preparations required to send a spacecraft on its way.
Those watching the livestream will also get to see the Cargo Dragon maneuver slowly away from the space station as it undocks and begins its journey back to Earth.
How to watch
Coverage of the event will begin at 8:45 a.m. ET (5:45 a.m. PT), with the actual undocking procedure scheduled to start at 9:05 a.m. ET (6:05 a.m. PT).
You can watch the livestream using the embedded player at the top of this page, or by heading to NASA’s website for the same coverage.
The capsule will perform a nighttime splashdown off the coast of Florida about 12 hours later, though NASA said it will not be livestreaming this part of the homecoming mission.
