[Location - Date:MAY 31, 2012][Source:NASA TV][VO:][INSERT: Wire Copy] CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - The Dragon spacecraft is on its way home. Early Thursday morning, space station astronauts set the SpaceX capsule loose after a five-day visit. The world's first commercial supply ship is due to splash down in the Pacific at midday, Eastern Time. It will aim for an area 560 miles (900 kilometres) southwest of Los Angeles. On board are science samples and old station equipment. Last week, the California-based SpaceX became the first private company to send a cargo ship to the International Space Station. It's now on the verge of becoming the only supplier to return major items. The government-provided cargo vessels of Russia, Europe and Japan burn up on descent. NASA lost the capability of getting things back when the shuttles were retired last year.(****END****) VIDEO PRODUCER: BOB MCCALL ---------------------------VIDEO SOURCE: NASA TV -----------------------VIDEO APPROVAL: ROD JUSSIM ----------------------------VIDEO RESTRICTIONS: COURTESY NASA TV----------------------------------MARKET EMBARGO (S): NONE --------------------------------SCRIPT/WIRE SOURCE:v8952BN-US-SCI-Private-Space, Update------------------------------------