The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft carrying Crew-9 members, including stranded astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, undocked from the International Space Station (ISS) as scheduled and started return journey towards Earth. The crew is scheduled to splashdown around 3:27 AM IST (March 19) off the coast of Florida.
Crew members on board
The returning crew also includes astronaut Nick Hague and cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov. All the four astronauts left for Earth after hatch closure and undocking from the ISS at around 10:35 AM IST.
Why splashdown is used for Crew-9’s return
The Crew-9 astronauts will return using the splashdown method, a technique where the spacecraft lands in the ocean instead of on solid ground. NASA and SpaceX chose this method for several reasons:
What is a splashdown?
A splashdown is a landing method where a spacecraft returns to Earth and lands in water, usually an ocean or sea. This technique has been used in human spaceflight programs like NASA’s Mercury, Gemini, Apollo missions, and SpaceX Crew Dragon missions.
Splashdown explained | Why Crew-9 astronauts, including Sunita Williams, will land in water
Why is the splashdown method used?
Gentler landing – Water acts as a natural cushion, reducing the impact force on astronauts compared to a hard ground landing.
Simpler spacecraft design – Eliminates the need for complex landing gear like wheels or airbags, making the spacecraft lighter and safer.
Lower risk of damage – Spacecraft experience intense heat and speed during re-entry, and landing in water minimizes structural stress.
Large recovery zones – Oceans provide vast landing areas, reducing the risk of missing a precise target or crashing in populated areas.
Proven safety record – Historically, splashdowns have been successful and have allowed easy astronaut retrieval by recovery ships.
NASA’s use of splashdown
NASA and SpaceX have used splashdown techniques for crewed missions since the Apollo era, with modern advancements improving the safety and efficiency of such recoveries.
Williams and Wilmore’s return
Williams and Wilmore’s return will mark another milestone in SpaceX’s human spaceflight missions, emphasising the continued reliability of splashdown landings. NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore are set to return to Earth after spending over nine months on the ISS. Their unexpected extended mission is coming to an end as they prepare for a Tuesday evening splashdown off the coast of Florida.
NASA’s Live coverage of Crew-9’s return
NASA hosted a livestream of the undocking coverage, starting with the closure of the hatch at 8:15 AM (March 18). The undocking coverage began at 10:15 AM and ended after Dragon undocked at 10:35 AM. While the real-time audio feed remains available, the livestream of the return coverage will start at 2:15 AM IST (March 19) and continue until Dragon splashes down. The crew is scheduled for a deorbit burn around 2:41 AM IST (March 19), followed by a splashdown around 3:27 AM IST (March 19).
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