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SpaceX Capsule Successfully Splashes Down on Earth
[CORRECTED: Updates to include NASA officials’ quotes]
Houston, USA – In a thrilling scene, a SpaceX capsule containing NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken splashed down safely into the Pacific Ocean today, marking the end of the Crew Dragon’s maiden crewed mission. The dramatic landing occurred at approximately 17:47 GMT (1:47 PM EST), roughly eight hours after the capsule departed the International Space Station (ISS).
"We are incredibly proud of this historic moment, as our astronauts are safely back on Earth after their pioneering journey on the ISS," said NASA Administrator, Dr. Jim Bridenstine, in a press statement. "The SpaceX Crew Dragon mission demonstrates America’s unwavering commitment to advancing human space exploration and paving the way for future generations to reach new frontiers."
[SEE LIVE STREAM: The Crew Dragon capsule splashes down into the Pacific Ocean]
SpaceX, a private aerospace company founded by Elon Musk, launched its Crew Dragon capsule from Kennedy Space Center on May 30th, marking the first commercially-crewed spacecraft mission from US soil in over a decade. The eight-day mission to the ISS saw the two astronauts embark on a variety of scientific experiments, tests, and spacewalks, alongside the existing crew of four on board the orbiting space station.
As the Crew Dragon re-entered Earth’s atmosphere, mission control officials breathed a sigh of relief, with mission director, Roy Jones, declaring, "It was a picture-perfect descent. We’ve received great signals from the capsule, and everything is nominal so far."
The astronauts safely parachuted back down to the ocean, where NASA recovery teams and a flotilla of recovery ships were waiting to extract the crew and begin their quarantine period. Following their 12-week stay in orbit, Hurley and Behnken are set to spend two weeks in quarantine to ensure the crew doesn’t spread any potential infection back to Earth.
In a historic feat, today’s successful landing solidifies SpaceX’s status as the first privately-owned company to land astronauts back on our planet. With the development of the reusable Crew Dragon, NASA officials aim to accelerate human exploration and missions to the moon and Mars in the years to come.
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Breaking News: SpaceX Crew Dragon Successful Splashdown in the Pacific
- Crew Dragon, Spacecraft
- Space Exploration
- NASA, Space Agency
- ISS, International Space Station
- Private Space Companies, Space Tourism
- Bob Behnken, NASA Astronaut
- Doug Hurley, NASA Astronaut
- SpaceX Capsule
- Splashdown, Re-entry
Related Topics:
- SpaceX CEO Elon Musk Celebrates Maiden Crewed Mission Success (LIVE Updates)
- NASA Confirms Details on ISS Mission with First Private Astronauts (Official Statements)
- A Peek Inside the SpaceX Crew Dragon’s Journey to the ISS (Photo Gallery)
- Join the Space Fan Community (Forums)
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