Crew-2 astronauts return back to Earth after nearly 200 days in space
A group of astronauts safely splashed down off the Florida coast late Monday, setting the stage for the subsequent NASA and SpaceX crew to launch from Kennedy Space Center this week.
Crew-2 astronauts Shane Kimbrough, Megan McArthur, Akihiko Hoshide, and Thomas Pesquet descended into serene waters south of Pensacola, Florida, at 10:33 p.m. ET, wrapping up an eight-hour journey from the Worldwide House Station. The group’s Crew Dragon capsule was then hoisted out of the Gulf of Mexico and onto a SpaceX ship, the place helicopters waited to move Crew-2 again to the mainland.
Mission elapsed time: simply hours shy of 200 days since launching from KSC in April.
“Nice to be again to planet Earth,” mission commander Kimbrough mentioned simply after splashdown. “Because of NASA, (European House Company), and (Japan Aerospace Exploration Company) groups. It was an honor to characterize you.”
“To our households: we look ahead to seeing you quickly,” Kimbrough mentioned.
Kimbrough and McArthur are NASA astronauts. Hoshide joined Crew-2 on behalf of Japan; Pesquet represented ESA and his dwelling nation of France. After medical checkouts on the ship and a quick helicopter journey, they flew again to their dwelling base at Johnson House Middle in Houston, Texas.
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Subsequent up is Crew-3, which was slated to launch on Halloween however has been delayed by weather conditions and a minor medical difficulty with one in every of its 4 crew members. With splashdown full, groups at the moment are specializing in launching NASA astronauts Kayla Barron, Raja Chari, Thomas Marshburn, and ESA’s Matthias Maurer no sooner than 9:03 p.m. Wednesday.
Situations look good for Wednesday night time: 80% “go” for launch circumstances and “low-risk” for climate alongside the trajectory, based on the House Power. Falcon 9 and Crew Dragon will launch towards the northeast.
What stays to be seen is that if groups will be prepared — it is not completely clear if restoration crews on-hand Monday night time could be wanted for Wednesday’s launch try. As a result of Crew Dragon can abort a launch and escape from a failing rocket, sea restoration groups should be ready within the occasion that Crew-3 splashes down within the Atlantic Ocean.
Monday night time’s profitable splashdown marked SpaceX’s third profitable crewed mission for NASA and fourth total when together with privately bought flights. Crew-3 will grow to be the corporate’s fifth, however throughout its six-month keep on the ISS, the corporate is anticipated to launch a minimum of another absolutely business mission with personal astronauts.
Boeing and its Starliner spacecraft have been additionally chosen for the NASA astronaut program generally known as Business Crew, which was designed to switch the house shuttle. Starliner, nonetheless, has been tormented by {hardware} and software program points and is not slated to launch a second uncrewed check flight till later in 2022.
Comply with Emre Kelly on Twitter @EmreKelly.