SpaceX Dragon Capsule Completes CRS-31 Mission with Successful Return to Earth

The spacecraft delivered 2,700 kilograms of supplies to the ISS and brought back critical research materials for analysis.

SpaceX's Dragon capsule undocked from the International Space Station on December 16, 2024, concluding the CRS-31 mission.
The capsule carried thousands of pounds of research materials and experimental specimens back to Earth, splashing down off the coast of Florida on December 17, 2024.
Dragon remains the only operational cargo spacecraft capable of safely returning scientific materials to Earth, unlike other resupply vehicles that burn up during reentry.
NASA astronaut Don Pettit, the agency's oldest active astronaut at 69, captured and shared a time-lapse video of the capsule's undocking and departure from the ISS.
Recovered materials will be transported to NASA's Systems Processing Facility for further study, ensuring the preservation of time-sensitive experiments conducted in microgravity.