Nearly a Year in Space! SpaceX Brings Two Astronauts Back to Earth
The Crew Dragon mission of SpaceX has successfully concluded! Four astronauts have safely returned to Earth after an extended mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS), far longer than initially planned. Especially, Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore had to stay in space for an incredible 9 months, instead of the originally planned 8 days.
The initial plan was for the two astronauts to return to Earth aboard the Boeing Starliner after completing their mission on the ISS. However, the spacecraft experienced technical issues during its journey, making it unsafe for them to return. As a result, NASA decided to bring the spacecraft back without the astronauts and sent a new spacecraft to pick them up.
This delay meant that Suni and Butch had to remain on the ISS for another 6 months, continuing to care for the station and conduct scientific experiments.
SpaceX’s Dragon capsule departed from the ISS and took 17 hours to return to Earth. The spacecraft entered Earth’s atmosphere at a speed of over 27,000 km/h, facing temperatures as high as 1,600°C before deploying four parachutes to slow its descent. It safely landed in the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Florida.
Living in a weightless environment for an extended period has significant effects on the human body. Muscle and bone weakness occur due to the lack of gravitational force. Blood circulation changes, causing swelling in the face, increased pressure inside the skull, and vision problems due to the pressure affecting the eyes. As a result, astronauts need physical therapy to adjust back to Earth’s gravity.
What was initially planned as a short 8-day mission turned into a 9-month test of endurance. Despite the challenges, this mission was an important lesson for the future of space exploration and has helped improve the safety of space travel.
This successful return marks a significant achievement for both SpaceX and NASA, showing that astronauts can return to Earth safely and representing another important step in humanity’s journey to explore space.
References
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