After 15 days in space, tomorrow the four-person multi-national Ax-1 crew will finally head home back to Earth. If the weather conditions remain favorable, Ax-1 Commander Michael Lopez-Alegria, Pilot Larry Connor, and Mission Specialists Eytan Stibbe and Mark Pathy plan to undock from the International Space Station aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft at 6:35 p.m. EDT. On Sunday, April 24, the crew will splashdown off the coast of Florida around 1:46 p.m. EDT.
As the countdown for departure begins, the crew is checking off their to-do list to finalize preparations for space flight and wrapping up any projects they revisited during the past few days. While soaking in the spectacular views of our home planet from the cupola, the crew took photos that will be compared to other images located in a database of astronaut handheld photography and researchers from Western University located London, Ontario, Canada. By comparing the collection of images, researchers will be able to analyze the impact of human and natural pressures on our terrestrial ecosystem.
After their last sleep on the space station, the astronauts will pack their personal belongings stowed away in the crew quarters. These phone booth-sized cabins serve as “bedrooms” for the crew and a personal spot where they have been able to connect with loved ones back at home.
During the few hours leading up to their embarkation, the Ax-1 crew will bid a final farewell to their friends and ISS crewmates, undergo suit checks, and begin final preparations for vehicle ingress. Once the hatch closes – targeted for 4:30 p.m. EDT – and all the checks are completed, the crew will undock from the space station and begin their journey home.
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