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SpaceX Dragon Capsule Ready for Historic Return to Earth


May 30, 2012 | WMFE - The world's first commercial supply ship is closed up and ready for a Thursday flight back to Earth from the International Space Station.

Astronauts sealed the hatch to the SpaceX Dragon capsule Wednesday. It's loaded with 1,400 pounds of experiments and old equipment for return to NASA.

Before dawn Thursday, the astronauts will use the station's robot arm to release the Dragon capsule. The spacecraft will aim for a splashdown in the Pacific later in the morning, about 500 miles southwest of Los Angeles.

NASA wants to use the capsule to restock the station's pantry and eventually ferry station astronauts.