Splashdown! SpaceX's Dragon Returns from Space Station

SpaceX's Dragon robotic capsule splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on May 18, 2014 after about one month in space.

Credit: SpaceX

SpaceX's Dragon robotic capsule splashed down in the Pacific Ocean today (May 18), bringing more than 1,000 lbs. of science cargo back to Earth from the International Space Station.

The unmanned spacecraft fell into the ocean off the coast of Baja California, where officials were able to recover it.

The spacecraft carried more than 3,500 lbs. (1,587 kg) of cargo to Earth from the orbiting laboratory. Splashdown occurred at 3:05 p.m. EDT (1905 GMT).

Dragon attached to the space station on April 20 after launching atop the private spaceflight company's Falcon 9 rocket on April 18 from Florida.

The capsule was released from the station today at 9:26 a.m. EDT (1325 GMT).

"Splashdown is confirmed!! Welcome home, Dragon," SpaceX officials wrote from the company's Twitter account (@SpaceX) shortly after splashdown.

SpaceX's Dragon carried about 1,600 lbs. (726 kg) of science cargo down from the space laboratory.

The 150 science experiments include biotechnology samples, biology studies, physical science investigations and human research, NASA officials said.

"While some of this data can be obtained by on orbit analysis, many analysis techniques have not been miniaturized or modified to allow them to be performed on orbit, which means sample return is the only way to obtain this data," Marybeth Edeen, space station research integration office deputy manager at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, said in a statement.

Edeen is author of 'Opportunities for Science on the ISS: A Unique Laboratory Environment' available from Amazon and all good book stores.