One of SpaceX's Dragon capsules has returned to Earth after departing the International Space Station on Thursday morning, bringing back some 3,000 pounds of experiments and equipment.
Astronaut Scott Kelly, now approaching two full months into his yearlong stay at the space station, gave the command for the capsule to leave the ISS and begin its journey home.
The capsule splashed into the Pacific Ocean just off the Southern California coast less than six hours later, at 12:42 p.m.
NASA expects to receive its precious science samples within two days, after the spacecraft is transported to a port near Los Angeles.
The Dragon capsule arrived at the orbiting outpost in April after blasting off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, bearing much-needed groceries and other goods for the six station residents, including an espresso machine.
Astronauts refilled the capsule with science experiments and samples for the trip home, including roundworms that were part of studies on muscles and aging.
SpaceX is NASA's only means of getting supplies to the 260-mile-high station ever since last year's loss of an Orbital Sciences craft in a Virginia launch explosion.
More recently, a Russian supply ship went into an uncontrollable spin after liftoff and was destroyed upon re-entry earlier this month, its entire contents undelivered.
SpaceX will attempt to launch another shipment June 26 from Cape Canaveral.