UNDOCKING OF SpX-21 CARGO DRAGON FROM ISS, Jan 12, 2021, Earth orbit, 9:05 am ET

Update, January 12:  Undocking is now scheduled for 9:05 am ET today, with splashdown at 8:27 pm ET in the Gulf of Mexico instead of the Atlantic.  NASA TV is covering the undocking only.

Update, January 11, 11:10 am ET:  Undocking has been delayed until another day/time TBD because of poor weather in the splashdown site off the coast of Florida. Initially, it was delayed from 9:25 am to 10:00 am, then a “go” was given, then just a few minutes later a “no go.”

Original Entry: SpaceX’s CRS-21 Cargo Dragon spacecraft will undock from the International Space Station on January 11, 2021 at 9:25 am ET.  NASA TV coverage begins 9:00 am ET.

Although this is SpaceX’s 21st cargo mission to ISS, it is the first to dock/undock instead of berthing.  It uses a new spacecraft design based on Crew Dragon, which also docks.

Neither SpaceX nor NASA typically provide live coverage of Dragon splashdowns, which until now have taken place off the Pacific Coast.  With the shift to this new design, Cargo Dragon will land off the Florida coast instead, like Crew Dragon.  The company has not indicated if it will provide splashdown coverage.  NASA said it will not.

Splashdown is expected about 9:00 pm ET according to NASA.