Splashdown! SpaceX Dragon Returns to Earth After 2nd Space Station Delivery

By Meghan Bartels, Space.com Senior Writer | January 14, 2019 11:17am ET

SpaceX's fourth Dragon capsule to make two trips to the International Space Station successfully returned to Earth overnight, with splashdown confirmed in the Pacific Ocean.

Dragon was due to splash down today (Jan. 14) at 12:15 a.m. EST (0515 GMT), but the capsule returned a few minutes early, with SpaceX posting a confirmation of on Twitter at 12:12 a.m. EST (0512 GMT). The capsule had launched on Dec. 5.

"Farewell Dragon!," Expedition 58 astronaut David Saint-Jacques of the Canadian Space Agency said on Twitter. "#Canadarm2 just released SpaceX-16 capsule, returning experiments to scientists around the World." [Video: Watch SpaceX's Dragon Depart the Space Station]

SpaceX has not yet stated whether the capsule was successfully brought back to port. This mission was the first SpaceX splashdown and recovery process to take place at night, according to a statement NASA posted during the capsule's 6-hour journey back to Earth.

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