NASA Astronauts Returned Home in SpaceX Capsule in 1st Splashdown in 45 Years

On the first Water landing by an American space crew since 1975, Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley returned to Earth. NASA astronauts splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico, after becoming the first to fly a SpaceX Dragon.

NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley came down on Earth after their two-month trip aboard the ISS (International Space Station), parachuting into a SpaceX Dragon Capsule.

NASA Astronauts at Gulf of Mexico — Image by NASA
NASA Astronauts Splashed Down in the Gulf of Mexico

The two astronauts fly home completes a landmark trial flight called Demo-2, which after nearly ten years of rest returned crew power to the United States. This took shape on May 30th when astronauts piloted NASA for the first time, instead of the space agency itself, on a spacecraft owned and run by a private corporation.

“Good night from Endeavour.” From the Dragon Endeavour spacecraft in orbit, @Astro_Doug thanks the @SpaceX team in Hawthorne before crew sleep time begins. On Sunday, Aug. 2, he & @AstroBehnken will wake up at 7:40am ET. Splashdown off the coast of Florida is at 2:48pm ET. pic.twitter.com/QjWqJ1eoIt

— NASA (@NASA) August 2, 2020

SpaceX’s Crew Dragon Spacecraft

Riding a Column of Blinding Rocket, Behnken and Hurley took off from Cape Canaveral, Florida. On 31 May they docked their spacecraft and joined a team of three who were already at the station.

Hurley works on the International Space Station — Image- Screenshot from National Geography
PHOTOGRAPH BY NASA

Behnken Space Selfie — Image- Screenshot from National Geography
PHOTOGRAPH BY BOB BEHNKEN

Sunrise From ISS — Image- Screenshot from National Geography
Bob Behnken captured the Sunrise from the ISS on July 27.
The space station orbits the Earth roughly every 90 minutes.

Two Spacewalkers — Image- Screenshot from National Geography
Bob Behnken (left) and Chris Cassidy (Right)
PHOTOGRAPH BY DOUG HURLEY

SpaceX Crews Visited to Receive Astronauts from the Capsule

SpaceX crews visited the capsule to receive their members. SpaceX crews on the boats instructed them to move further and to maintain the safety zone around the vehicle because spacecraft toxic propellant emissions would put passengers at risk on nearby vessels.

Returning Home

Welcome home.

As @AstroBehnken and @Astro_Doug stepped off the plane that returned them to Houston, they were greeted by excitement, cheers, and hugs from family. pic.twitter.com/vO2fXZhb0S

— Johnson Space Center (@NASA_Johnson) August 2, 2020

Source: National Geography and NY Times