Mission complete: Space X Dragon arrives back on Earth after space station trip

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.

The company's unmanned capsule nicknamed "Dragon" splashed into the Pacific Ocean Sunday off the Baja California Coast.

The "Dragon" launched into orbit Oct. 7 from Cape Canaveral, Florida full of groceries, clothes, and other supplies for the astronauts working for the station's Expedition 33 crew.

As planned, the astronauts reloaded the capsule with nearly 2,000 pounds of scientific materials and old station equipment before SpaceX guided the capsule back to Earth.

The science materials included nearly 500 frozen medical samples of frozen blood and urine collected by station astronauts, which NASA is said to be eagerly awaiting.

The Dragon will be loaded onto a 100-foot boat, hauled to Los Angeles, and transported to McGregor, Texas.

The mission marks the first official interstellar shipment completed under the company's $1.6 billion cargo resupply contract with NASA.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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