{"id":19388,"date":"2016-05-12T01:38:24","date_gmt":"2016-05-11T17:38:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-productionenv-bjg9h2g2bgg5b8aa.southeastasia-01.azurewebsites.net\/news\/spacex-dragon-cargo-capsule-splashes-down-returning-scott-kellys-samples\/"},"modified":"2016-05-12T01:38:24","modified_gmt":"2016-05-11T17:38:24","slug":"spacex-dragon-cargo-capsule-splashes-down-returning-scott-kellys-samples","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/news\/spacex-dragon-cargo-capsule-splashes-down-returning-scott-kellys-samples\/","title":{"rendered":"SpaceX Dragon cargo capsule splashes down, returning Scott Kelly\u2019s samples"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"SpaceX
SpaceX\u2019s Dragon capsule descends toward the Pacific at the end of its parachutes. (Credit: SpaceX)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A month after delivering an expandable prototype habitat and other goodies to the International Space Station, SpaceX\u2019s Dragon cargo capsule splashed down in the Pacific Ocean today  with tons of equipment and scientific samples.<\/p>\n

Among the roughly 3,700 pounds of cargo are freezers containing blood, saliva, urine and stool samples from astronaut Scott Kelly, who served as an experimental subject during a nearly yearlong stint on the station. Those samples will be studied to see how long-term spaceflight affected Kelly\u2019s metabolic functions, including the function of the gut bacteria in his bowels.<\/p>\n

The results could affect how NASA plans for even longer journeys to Mars and other deep-space destinations.<\/p>\n

Astronauts used the space station\u2019s arm to detach the uncrewed Dragon from its space station berth and send it on its way at 6:19 a.m. PT.<\/p>\n

British astronaut Tim Peake told Mission Control that the \u201cDragon spacecraft has served us well, and it\u2019s good to see it departing full of science, and we wish it a safe recovery back to planet Earth.\u201d<\/p>\n