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The Dragon is free of the International Space Station as it prepares for splashdown this afternoon around 17.40 BST (9.40 PDT, 12.40 EDT). dragon_leaves_iss The Dragon leaves the ISS. Pic credit: NASA SpaceX'S history-making cargoship has successfully detached from the Canadarm, the mechanical arm which pushed it out from …

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  1. stucs201
    Facepalm

    I know relativity means there is time dilation between orbit and the gound

    But I didn't realise it was enough to make the time between May 25th and May 31st a whole two weeks.

    27 0
    1. DJV Silver badge
      Reply Icon
      Happy

      Re: I know relativity means there is time dilation between orbit and the gound

      My thoughts exactly!

      1 0
    2. Thomas Whipp
      Reply Icon

      Re: I know relativity means there is time dilation between orbit and the gound

      you beat me to it.

      1 0
      1. Anonymous Coward
        Reply Icon
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: I know relativity means there is time dilation between orbit and the gound

        > You beat me to it

        It may look like I got beaten to it too, but in fact I'm in orbit and posted first.

        4 0
    3. Irongut
      Reply Icon
      Pint

      Re: I know relativity means there is time dilation between orbit and the gound

      I was starting to wonder just how drunk I got at the weekend that two weeks had passed.

      10 0
    4. Anonymous John
      Reply Icon

      Re: I know relativity means there is time dilation between orbit and the gound

      I think El Reg has been confused for a while. I seem to recall an earlier report that mentioned a two week stay, but I can't find it.

      0 0
    5. Andrew James
      Reply Icon

      Re: I know relativity means there is time dilation between orbit and the gound

      I assumed i'd lost ten days. In the middle of buying a house and sitting exams etc so its been a bit of a blur.

      0 0
    6. Thomas Whipp
      Reply Icon

      Re: I know relativity means there is time dilation between orbit and the gound

      and 6 hours later the story has still not been updated... another time dilation effect?

      0 0
    7. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge
      Reply Icon

      Re: I know relativity means there is time dilation between orbit and the gound

      It was just a mix up between Metric and Imperial weeks

      3 0
  2. Dave Perry
    Thumb Up

    Mistake of how long it was 'docked' aside

    It's quite impressive that a private company has got this far - fingers crossed there are no hiccups on the return journey.

    4 0
    1. Anonymous John
      Reply Icon

      Re: Mistake of how long it was 'docked' aside

      I'm not so sure about that. It could mean that rockets and spacecraft have been too expensive until now because of the way contracts were awarded.

      1 0
  3. Steve 13
    FAIL

    already been spotted but...

    25th May

    http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/05/25/iss_catches_the_dragon/

    Today

    Spent 2 weeks docked to the ISS. Erm, it's the 31st May today...

    1 0
  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    hmmm

    How cool would it be if it turned out Elon Musk was like a James Bond Baddie, and his Dragon started flaming up all the local satelites, holding the world to ransom.....

    3 0
    1. stucs201
      Reply Icon

      Re: hmmm

      Wrong film universe. Musk is (as has been noted on previous topics) Tony Stark, which means all he's going to be flaming up is enormous amounts of celebratary sambuca if all goes well.

      2 0
      1. HeyMickey
        Reply Icon

        Re: hmmm

        Nonsense you are both wrong. He is actually Dr. Evil:

        http://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/192701084932907009/photo/1/large

        0 0
  5. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    All these reports are severely lacking in information.

    in that, as far as I've seen, no-one's told us the most important detail of the whole operation - what was in the "mystery package" >:(

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    1. stucs201
      Reply Icon

      Re: All these reports are severely lacking in information.

      Scotty

      http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/05/22/scotty_ashes_dragon/

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      1. Dave Bell
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        Re: All these reports are severely lacking in information.

        But that was carried by the second stage, which isn't in a stable orbit. The reports were about a special secret package being delivered to the ISS.

        1 0
    2. Gil Grissum
      Reply Icon
      Pint

      Re: All these reports are severely lacking in information.

      What was in the mystery package? The means to take over the world, surely.

      0 0
  6. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    There goes another one.

    Hold your fire, there are no life forms aboard.

    2 0
    1. Anonymous Coward
      Reply Icon
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: There goes another one.

      Terry: Hold your fire? What, are we paying by the laser now?

      Soldier 2: You don't do the budget Terry, I do.

      0 0
  7. Gene Cash Silver badge

    Splashdown

    And it's floating...

    0 0
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