SpaceX’s Dragon cargo capsule undocked from the International Space Station (ISS) on Dec. 16 at 11:05 a.m. EST, completing the CRS-31 mission.

The spacecraft will splash down off Florida’s coast on Dec. 17, returning thousands of pounds of equipment and experiment samples for NASA.

Dragon is the only cargo vehicle capable of safely bringing items back to Earth; other cargo freighters, like Cygnus and Progress, burn up during reentry.

CRS-31, launched Nov. 4, delivered 6,000 pounds of supplies, including fresh food and research equipment, Space.com has reported.

Delayed due to weather, the mission highlights the vital role Dragon plays in ISS resupply and science recovery.

Written by B.C. Begley