SpaceX returns 4 astronauts to Earth; rare night splashdown

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By MARCIA DUNN

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — SpaceX safely returned four astronauts from the International Space Station on Sunday, making the first U.S. crew splashdown in darkness since the Apollo 8 moonshot.

The Dragon capsule parachuted into the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Panama City, Florida, just before 3 a.m., ending the second astronaut flight for Elon Musk’s company.

It was an express trip home, lasting just 6 1/2 hours.

The astronauts, three American and one Japanese, flew back in the same capsule — named Resilience — in which they launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in November.



In this image made from NASA TV video, the SpaceX Dragon capsule floats after landing in the Gulf of Mexico near the Florida Panhandle early Sunday, May 2, 2021. SpaceX returned four astronauts from the International Space Station on Sunday, making the first U.S. crew splashdown in darkness since the Apollo 8 moonshot. (NASA TV via AP)


Read more: https://apnews.com/article/spacex-business-science-b21c3914e7a7ac3fb365a1c724afa6f1

[mitch96]

1. I wonder why in the dark? Just to see if they can??nt

[Sgent]

3. Look at the sea state

its almost glass -- makes for very easy recovery. In addition at 3am you don't have Florida Boater crowding the recovery.

This time of year the northern gulf can be completely dead sea state wise at night. In addition this isn't like the Apollo missions, they had eyes on the craft from re-entry and we have GPS.

[BumRushDaShow]

4. The original departure day/time was delayed due to the weather

so they moved the time to the next opportunity so they could land where they needed to in the Gulf.

https://www.space.com/nasa-spacex-crew-1-landing-delayed-again

[BlueWavePsych]

2. Yow Boeing!

Get your act together.

[BumRushDaShow]

5. Congrats to the crew and SpaceX!

I usually keep my radio on overnight down low and heard CBS radio break in to announce that they had just splashed down into the Gulf (about an hour before I usually get up, in their case, ~3am ET).

With 11 people up there, I know they were glad to offload some of them.

[Crowman2009]

6. Why? Because the last time they landed during the day, it turned into a Trumped up shitshow.

Remember all the fuckin' Trump boats all over the damn place?

[llashram]

7. moon-Mars next

[oneshooter]

8. NASA returnes astronauts from space and they are met by a aircraft carrier.

SpaceX meets them with a speedboat?