Dragon Returns to Earth as Crew Prepares Two Cargo Departures

A SpaceX Dragon spacecraft returned to Earth carrying several thousand pounds of experiments and lab hardware after a six-month stay at the International Space Station. Dragon parachuted to a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California at 11:44 p.m.

PST on Thursday, ending a mission that began when it undocked from the Harmony module’s forward port at 12:05 p.m. Thursday; it had been moored there since Aug. 25, 2025. The Expedition 74 crew is now turning its attention to March, when two more cargo ships will leave the outpost.

In early March the Canadarm2 will unbolt JAXA’s HTV-X1 from Harmony’s Earth-facing port and release it the following day to remain in orbit for several weeks of experiments. HTV-X1 launched Oct. 25, 2025, from Tanegashima Space Center and was captured and installed Oct.

United States, California

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