Starliner Astronauts Return to Earth After Nearly 10 Months in Space

Contact Your Elected Officials
The Epoch Times Header

This was the final splashdown of a SpaceX crew dragon off the coast of Florida. Future ones will be conducted off the coast of southern California.

NASA Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams got their first taste of fresh air in 286 days when the hatch of their SpaceX Crew Dragon Capsule Freedom was opened by recovery crews off the coast of Tallahassee, Florida at 6:38 p.m. on March 18.

They returned home 278 days later than expected, after their test flight of the Boeing CST-100 Starliner capsule to the International Space Station (ISS) became a one-way trip after the capsule was deemed unsafe to return in.

All four crew members were pulled from the Dragon onto the deck of the SpaceX recovery ship Megan, smiling and waving, with Wilmore and Williams coming out just after 6:50 p.m. They were immediately taken on a stretcher to the SpaceX flight surgeon, which is standard return procedure for all long-duration Dragon and Soyuz missions.

Less than an hour earlier, Dragon Freedom safely splashed down into the calm blue waters of the Gulf of America, carrying not just Wilmore and Williams but their fellow members of SpaceX Crew-9: NASA Astronaut Nick Hauge, Crew-9 commander, and Roscosmos Cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov.

That splashdown, occurring at approximately 5:57 p.m., marked the end of a journey home which began with a departure from the ISS just after 1 a.m.

Final descent began around 5:11 p.m. as their capsule turned itself around and fired its engine for a re-entry burn, slowing itself to a point where it was pulled out of orbit and began re-entering the atmosphere.

Dragon is designed to perform an autonomous re-entry.

Commander Hague’s voice broke routine radio silence, letting SpaceX mission control know he and his crew were “enjoying the ride,” as video from a high-altitude aircraft showed the first images of Freedom coming back to the earth as a plasma trail streaked behind.

At 5:54 p.m., Cheers erupted as drogue parachutes deployed, followed shortly by the main parachutes, slowing the spacecraft from more than 370 mph down to 16 mph.

“What a ride,” Hague said. “The capsule’s full of grins, ear to ear.”

Once checked out by the flight surgeon, the crew will take a helicopter from the ship to an airport where they will catch a flight back to Houston, Texas, and the Johnson Space Center.

Hague and Gorbunov launched to the ISS aboard Dragon Freedom as the original members of Crew-9, bringing with them the seats and spacesuits that Wilmore and Williams needed to get home. Hague and Gorbunov had their own mission objectives to accomplish on the station.

They returned home with Wilmore and Williams after 171 days in space.

By T.J. Muscaro

Read Full Article on TheEpochTimes.com

The Epoch Times
The Epoch Timeshttps://www.theepochtimes.com/
Tired of biased news? The Epoch Times is truthful, factual news that other media outlets don't report. No spin. No agenda. Just honest journalism like it used to be.

Obama Floats ‘New Forms of [State-Controlled] Journalism’

Notorious nemesis of civil liberties one and all, Barack Obama, ]apparently endorses a heavy state hand in the “regulation” of information.

Privilege Is Financial, Not Racial

If we stay divided by race, we’ll keep fighting each other while the true elites of all races thrive unseen, counting their wealth in comfort.

California Repeats Illinois’ History, PROSECUTE Newsom!

California may have improperly licensed 62,000 illegal aliens as Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) truck drivers.

The Stage Is Set For A US-Instigated Security Dilemma Between The Eurasian Rimland & Heartland

The US sends mixed signals on the Sino-Russo alliance after Trump downplayed concerns while Hegseth said he was ordered to “re-establish deterrence.”

Chambers of Horror

Using a shutdown to legislate is like using a flame thrower to light a candle, it provides light momentarily but destroys everything in its path.

Vance Warns Holiday Travel Could Be ‘Disaster’ If Government Does Not Reopen

Vice President JD Vance warned on Thursday that holiday travel will be a “disaster” if the government shutdown does not end.

Trump Admin Cuts Quota for Refugees, Prioritizes Afrikaners

Trump admin slashed quota for refugees and prioritized Afrikaners “and other victims of illegal or unjust discrimination in their respective homelands.”

DHS: 8,000 Percent Jump in Death Threats Against ICE Officers

DHS reports an 8,000% surge in death threats against U.S. immigration officers, raising alarm over safety concerns for federal personnel.

Federal Judge Weighs Forcing USDA to Pay SNAP Benefits Despite Shutdown

A judge weighed forcing the USDA to use a $5 billion fund to prevent a lapse in the national food stamp program amid looming funding shortfalls.

US, South Korea Finalize Trade Deal Reducing Tariffs, Boosting American Investment

The U.S. and South Korea finalized a major trade deal on Oct. 29 as President Trump wrapped up the final hours of his Asian tour on the Korean Peninsula.

Trump, Japanese PM Sign Critical Minerals, Rare Earths Deal

The U.S. president visited Tokyo on the second leg...

Trump Hikes Canada’s Tariffs by 10 Percent for Not Pulling Anti-Tariff Ad Immediately

Trump announced he will increase tariffs on Canada by 10% after ad by provincial government of Ontario misrepresented President Reagan’s speech on tariffs.

Trump Rolls Back Emissions Rules on Copper Smelters

President Trump issued a proclamation aimed at reversing a Biden-era environmental rule that enforced stricter air emission standards on copper smelters.
spot_img

Related Articles

Popular Categories

MAGA Business Central