The SpaceX return from ISS just happened – you can watch the live stream video below (and even play it back) below – the the landing in the Gulf of Mexico was a success.
The Crew Dragon's Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley landed on Earth at 2:42 pm EDT, today, August 2. The two NASA astronauts spent a little over two months on the International Space Station (ISS) – two months and three days to be exact – and the SpaceX capsule will return to us by landing in the waters off the coast of Florida.
It was a dramatic ending to America's first space mission from US soil in nearly a decade, when the Space Shuttle was retired (on this month back in 2011, actually). It also marks the conclusion of the first commercially-backed human space travel mission, which is a big deal for the future of affordable space travel.
Want another fascinating SpaceX stat? It's the first splashdown for US astronauts in about 45 years. Remember: the shuttle program was very different from launch to landing.
Just as we covered the SpaceX launch, and then followed NASA's 'Bob and Doug', as they made their way from Earth's orbit to their landing site. Here's how to watch the final moments of the SpaceX mission below.
Watch the SpaceX return video livestream here
The SpaceX returned in live streaming on various video platforms (the future is great, isn't it?), and you can rewatch the splashdown there too: the SpaceX YouTube livestream, for example, capture the two astronauts from their prep on ISS in space to their landing in the Gulf of Mexico on Earth.
The NASA astronauts actually undocked from ISS last night, August 1, and made their way from the space station to Earth for today's August 2 return.
Good splashdown of Dragon confirmed! Welcome back to Earth, @AstroBehnken and @Astro_Doug! pic.twitter.com/0vAS3CcK9PAugust 2, 2020
SpaceX return time: here's when it'll happen
The SpaceX return time was scheduled for 2:42pm EDT. Of course, tuning in early was a wise idea simply because you didn't want to start the SpaceX live stream video right when they're splashing down into the water.
Worldwide, this meant the SpaceX return time was 11:42am PDT (in California where SpaceX is located), 7:42pm BST, and the next morning 4:42am AEST. There is, of course, video replays on the SpaceX YouTube channel, but it's always more exciting to watch these video streams when they're happening live.
What happens after today's SpaceX return
The SpaceX landing live stream today ended the Demo-2 mission for the two NASA astronauts, but there will be an intense review of all data for certification, according to NASA. The benefit of reusable rockets is not only that it makes space travel cheaper, but that you can better evaluate stress on everything involved in the launch.
In late September, barring any delays, the LC-39A launch pad at Kennedy Space Center, Florida, will host the next set of NASA astronauts to go to space: Victor Glover, Mike Hopkins, Shannon Walker, and JAXA astronaut Soichi Noguchi. They will fly Dragon’s first six-month operational mission (Crew-1).
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