SpaceX capsule set to return 2 NASA astronauts from space station

The SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft that carried two NASA astronauts to the International Space Station two months ago was set to depart the orbiting laboratory on Saturday.

"SpaceX and @NASA are targeting 7:34 p.m. EDT on Saturday, August 1 for Crew Dragon and the two astronauts to depart the orbiting laboratory and return to Earth," SpaceX said in a tweet.

After receiving a weather briefing from the US Air Force 45th Weather Squadron on Friday evening, NASA said conditions remain "Go" at several of the needed target locations for splashdown and recovery off the Florida coast on Sunday aboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon "Endeavour" spacecraft.

NASA and SpaceX will make a decision on a primary splashdown target approximately six hours before undocking on Saturday.

Teams continue to closely monitor Hurricane Isaias and evaluate impacts to the landing sites in the Gulf of Mexico along the Florida Panhandle, NASA said..

Teams have several weather decision milestones ahead of and after undocking to adjust the splashdown location and time based on the forecasted conditions for recovery.

Splashdown remains scheduled at 2.42 pm EDT on Sunday.

The return of NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley from the space station will wrap up the SpaceX second demonstration (Demo-2) mission.

The Demo-2 mission is the final major milestone for SpaceX's human spaceflight system to be certified by NASA for operational crew missions to and from the space station.

--IANS

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