On Saturday, two NASA astronauts, alongside a Japanese astronaut and a Russian cosmonaut, returned safely to Earth, concluding an impressive five-month mission in space. The team re-entered the atmosphere aboard SpaceX's Crew Dragon Endurance, splashing down in the Pacific Ocean, just west of San Diego. This significant event marks another milestone in space exploration.
Commander Anne McClain, pilot Nichole Ayers, Japanese astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Russian cosmonaut Kirill Peskov executed a safe splashdown at 11:33 a.m. EDT, approximately 17-and-a-half hours after undocking from the International Space Station. The Crew Dragon capsule was expertly navigated back to Earth after a successful mission, showcasing the reliability of SpaceX technology.
Immediately following the splashdown, SpaceX support crews, stationed near the landing site, swiftly approached the capsule to prepare it for transfer onto the deck of a recovery ship. Once the hatch was opened, the astronauts were assisted out of the spacecraft for initial medical evaluations, as they began to readjust to Earth’s gravity after spending an astounding 148 days in space. Notably, all four crew members appeared healthy and in excellent spirits.
To facilitate a quick return to shore, a helicopter was on standby to transport the astronauts back, where a NASA plane awaited to fly them to the Johnson Space Center in Houston. The Crew 10 team had initially undocked from the ISS's forward port at 6:15 p.m. on Friday. Their return was delayed by two days due to high winds off the southern California coast, but upon undocking, they enjoyed a few final hours in space before initiating their descent.
At 10:39 a.m. EDT, the Crew Dragon's forward Draco thrusters ignited, firing for over 17 minutes to slow the spacecraft by approximately 257 mph. This precision maneuver was crucial for dropping the craft into the discernible atmosphere about 43 minutes later. Even then, the Crew Dragon was still traveling at a staggering 17,000 mph—equivalent to nearly 84 football fields per second—before entering the atmosphere and experiencing a dramatic fireball due to atmospheric friction as it sharply decelerated.
As the spacecraft neared the ocean, the main parachutes deployed and inflated, ensuring a smooth descent and gentle splashdown in the Pacific. This marks a historic moment as Crew 10 became the first NASA-sponsored crew to land in the Pacific Ocean, contrasting with all previous NASA Crew Dragon flights that concluded with splashdowns off the Florida coast. The decision to change landing locations was made to ensure that any debris from the Crew Dragon's trunk section, discarded before re-entry, would fall harmlessly into the Pacific, away from populated areas.
While Crew 10 returned to Earth, their replacements, Crew 11, were left behind in orbit. This team includes Crew 11 commander Zena Cardman, co-pilot Mike Fincke, Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui, and cosmonaut Oleg Platonov. Additionally, onboard were Soyuz MS-27/73S commander Sergey Ryzhikov, Alexey Zubritsky, and NASA astronaut Jonny Kim. During their final days aboard the ISS, McClain and her crewmates dedicated time to guiding the new crew through the operations of the space station before saying their goodbyes and undocking.
This successful mission underscores the continuing partnership between NASA and SpaceX and highlights the advancements in commercial space travel. As we look to the future, these accomplishments pave the way for more ambitious endeavors in space exploration.
