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SpaceX's Crew Dragon Capsule Returns To Earth After Historic Test Flight (nbcnews.com)

Posted by msmash on from the historic-event dept.

SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule returned safely to Earth early Friday, wrapping up its inaugural mission to the International Space Station and signaling that the U.S. may soon be able to ferry astronauts to and from space without relying on Russian spacecraft. From a report: The uncrewed capsule splashed down in the Atlantic Ocean, off the east coast of Florida, at 8:45 a.m. ET after spending almost a week at the space station. The spacecraft undocked from the orbiting outpost Friday at 2:32 a.m. ET to begin its descent. "This is an amazing achievement in American history," NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine said from the space agency's Johnson Space Center in Houston. "These are all capabilities that are leading to a day where we are launching American astronauts on American rockets from American soil." The Crew Dragon capsule was lofted into orbit March 2 by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The flight was a crucial test of the new spacecraft, a seven-passenger vehicle that SpaceX has been developing for the past five years.

4 of 121 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Vehicle to transport astronauts to the launch p by mykepredko · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I haven't heard that, but I would find it highly unlikely as I believe the crew will be in their pressure suits which would be very tight/awkward in anything less than a van.

    Also, if there are up to seven astronauts going on the flight, that would mean up to four Model X's to transport the astronauts (four if an astronaut can't sit shotgun).

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  2. Congratulations! by sycodon · · Score: 2, Insightful

    We've replicated 1960s technology!

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    1. Re:Congratulations! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I'm not sure if you're being disingenuous here, or just retarded. This is a major leap in technology over the capsules from the 60's / 70's...
      https://www.ajc.com/news/national/apollo-command-module-crew-dragon-the-numbers/Un1wCkEEGN4p5kICQHubvI/

      Not to mention Dragon2 is reusable, and a heck of a lot cheaper to launch than anything prior.

  3. Congratulations on a great flight! by mykepredko · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Nothing more to say, it looks like it was done flawlessly.

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