Astronauts Return SpaceX Mission: NASA’s SpaceX Crew-6 mission ended with a safe splashdown in the Atlantic Ocean near Jacksonville, Florida. The Dragon Endeavour capsule returned four astronauts to Earth. This ended a six-month journey on the ISS focused on experiments and maintenance. The Dragon Endeavour has been to space four times. It has helped with Axiom-1, Crew-2, and Demo-2 missions. The Dragon Endeavour capsule’s return to Earth was visible in the southeast of the U.S., giving late-night skywatchers a show from 12:05 to 12:17 a.m. ET on Monday, the capsule flew over the Gulf of Mexico and central northeast Florida. The path created loud booms heard statewide. The splashdown occurred at 12:17 a.m. ET. Thanks, SpaceX. We appreciate all the help, from training to launch, throughout the mission, and down. He also said, “This is incredible. Thanks a lot. Hope to work with you all again soon.”
Stephen Bowen, Woody Hoburg from NASA, Sultan Alneyadi from the UAE, and Andrey Fedyaev from Russia formed the team at 7:05 a.m. ET on Sunday, they closed the hatch of their Dragon capsule and detached it from the ISS. This was their downfall. At 11:24 p.m. ET, the Dragon Endeavour began its final fall after completing its last deorbit burn. As the capsule reentered Earth’s atmosphere, its heatshield faced temperatures up to 3,500 degrees Fahrenheit. A plasma layer formed during re-entry, cutting off contact for 7 minutes. After confirming no toxic leaks, the capsule was lifted onto SpaceX’s recovery ship, named “Megan” after NASA scientist Megan McArthur.
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After landing, the crew will be checked by doctors on the rescue ship before returning to Kennedy Space Center. From there, they will visit the Johnson Space Center in Texas, a NASA facility.
With this trip, SpaceX will have sent 11 people to space. Eight of these trips, like Crew-6, were funded by NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. The other three were privately funded. Crew-7 sent people from around the world to the ISS a week ago.
SpaceX is pleased with its success, while ULA prepares to launch an Atlas V rocket for national security. Hurricane Idalia delayed the joint project of the U.S. Space Force and the National Reconnaissance Office. Later this week, a second SpaceX Falcon 9 will launch Starlink satellites. SpaceX’s success with Crew-6 demonstrates its expertise in sending people to space, bolstering its potential for future research and commercial missions.
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Our Reader’s Queries
What do SpaceX astronauts get paid?
SpaceX pays its astronauts anywhere from $67,062 to $2,11,591 annually.
Is SpaceX capsule carrying 4 crew members returns safely to Earth?
Four space explorers successfully made their way back to Earth on Monday following a half-year mission at the International Space Station. Their SpaceX spacecraft safely landed in the Atlantic Ocean near Florida with the help of parachutes.
Has SpaceX sent astronauts?
SpaceX successfully sent astronauts into space using the Crew Dragon capsule, named Endurance, mounted on a Falcon 9 rocket. The spacecraft and rocket are designed for multiple uses, and Endurance has completed three missions so far.
What happens to astronauts who return to Earth?
After spending some time in space, the fluids in your body even out and facial swelling usually goes away within a few weeks. When astronauts come back to Earth, they might feel dizzy when they stand up, which is called orthostatic hypotension.