SpaceX Dragon capsule returns to Earth in fireball in most dramatic moment of pioneering journey
Successful splashdown changed how Nasa sends astronauts into space
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Your support makes all the difference.SpaceX’s brand new crew capsule has splashed down on Earth – and might have changed the future of space travel as it did.
It dropped into the Atlantic Ocean, right on time, bringing an end to a mission that went entirely successfully and paves the way for the capsule to carry astronauts to space.
The Dragon capsule pulled away from the orbiting lab early Friday, a test dummy named Ripley its lone occupant. It’s aiming for a morning splashdown in the Atlantic off Florida’s coast, the final hurdle of the six-day test flight. Saturday’s launch and Sunday’s docking were spot on.
NASA astronauts have been stuck riding Russian rockets since space shuttles retired eight years ago. NASA is counting on SpaceX and Boeing to start launching astronauts this year. SpaceX is aiming for summer.
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The nosecone is now being secured into place. At which point it will start dropping into the atmosphere!
When the really important and stressful bit of the descent actually begins, we'll lose connection with the capsule, because of the hot plasma that accumulates on the outside and makes it so very hot. (If you're on board, you lose the connection that lets you speak with people on the ground – which makes this bit especially stressful.)
Some parts of the US and western Canada might be able to spot the capsule as it drops down to Earth. (They also might not.) You're about to be able to find out – if you're stood outside and looking upwards.
It's been almost 50 years to the day that a spacecraft built for humans landed in the Atlantic Ocean, when Apollo 9 fell there. (It wasn't meant to: it was supposed to go to the Pacfiic but missed.)
Here's a view of Ripley, the mannequin, as she/he/it prepares to come home:
We won't be able to see Ripley as she heads back down, but here's the re-entry bit from Apollo 13, which will give you some of the same flavour
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