SpaceX capsule departs International Space Station for Atlantic splashdown
The Dragon capsule pulled away from the orbiting lab with a test dummy named Ripley as its lone occupant.
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SpaceX’s new crew capsule has undocked from the International Space Station and is heading towards an old-fashioned splashdown.
The Dragon capsule pulled away from the orbiting lab with a test dummy named Ripley as its lone occupant.
It is aiming for a splashdown in the Atlantic off Florida’s coast, the final hurdle of the six-day test flight.
Its launch on Saturday and docking on Sunday went without a hitch.
Canadian station astronaut David Saint-Jacques was the first to enter the Dragon capsule when it arrived and the last to leave. He said he found the capsule “very slick” and called it business class.
![SpaceX Crew Dragon’s return](http://image.assets.pressassociation.io/v2/image/production/41abfaab6cfed95afe631a32693b07a1Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaCwxNTUyMTI4ODM2/2.41646268.jpg?w=640)
Nasa astronauts have been stuck riding Russian rockets since space shuttles retired eight years ago.
Nasa is counting on SpaceX and Boeing to start launching astronauts this year.