Main Engine Cutoff; First Stage Separates

SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft separates from the Falcon 9 rocket’s second stage during NASA’s SpaceX 28th commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station on June 5, 2023. Dragon will rendezvous with the space station June 6 at approximately 5:50 a.m. EDT. Photo credit: NASA

The nine Merlin engines in the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket’s first stage have finished their burn, and the first stage has separated from the vehicle. As the second stage continues carrying the company’s Dragon on its journey, the first stage will land on the drone ship “A Shortfall of Gravitas” just off the coast of Florida in the Atlantic Ocean. That landing is coming up in just over six minutes.