Video above: This Nexstar Media video explains how Starlink satellites work in space.
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — After spending more than four months aboard the International Space Station, four astronauts safely returned to Earth on Saturday morning with a splashdown near the coast of San Diego, successfully concluding NASA and SpaceX’s Crew-10 mission.
SpaceX reports that the Dragon spacecraft detached from the ISS at 3:05 p.m. PT on Friday, Aug. 8, and executed a series of precise “orbit-lowering maneuvers” before re-entering Earth’s atmosphere. The capsule achieved a successful splashdown at 8:33 a.m. PT on Saturday in the Pacific Ocean, approximately 17 hours after the crew departed.
Onboard the spacecraft were NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov. All four crew members are reported to be in good health following recovery operations.
The mission, which launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida on March 14, signified a 145-day stay in orbit. The Dragon capsule autonomously docked with the ISS just over a day after takeoff and facilitated a wide range of scientific research during its space tenure.
During their time in orbit, Crew-10 contributed to experiments aimed at advancing future human space exploration and enhancing life on Earth, which included studies on microgravity’s impacts on human health and new technologies for extended missions, according to SpaceX officials.
This Dragon spacecraft has now completed multiple missions, having previously flown NASA’s Crew-3, Crew-5, and Crew-7 missions. The Falcon 9 rocket used in this mission also marked its second flight, previously deploying the SES 03b mPOWER satellite.
NASA and SpaceX streamed the re-entry and splashdown live via webcast and on the new X TV app, giving space enthusiasts a front-row seat to the exciting conclusion of the mission.
The safe return off California’s southern coast marks another milestone in the ongoing partnership between NASA and SpaceX as they continue to advance crewed spaceflight capabilities.
