Watch: SpaceX Capsule With All-Civilian Crew Splashes Down in Atlantic
23:14 GMT 18.09.2021 (Updated: 16:57 GMT 12.04.2023)
© REUTERS / STEVE NESIUS
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SpaceX launched the Falcon 9 rocket on Wednesday with the Crew Dragon capsule on top, manned exclusively by civilians. The launch took place as part of the Inspiration4 program, the first fully commercial civilian astronaut mission in orbit.
The Crew Dragon spaceship, with a non-professional crew, made a successful splashdown in the Atlantic Ocean near the coast of Florida, completing its three-day orbital mission.
Elon Musk's company announced the historic splashdown in a live broadcast also streamed to Twitter.
Splashdown! Welcome back to planet Earth, @Inspiration4x! pic.twitter.com/94yLjMBqWt
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) September 18, 2021
According to the mission statement, the return took place normally and without incident. The crew is in good condition and is being evacuated from the capsule.
The SpaceX recovery crews are now headed out to Resilience to secure it before loading it on the recovery ship. pic.twitter.com/ztkKmuKnh9
— Michael Sheetz (@thesheetztweetz) September 18, 2021
A non-professional crew consisting of two women and two men conducted scientific work in orbit for three days, took part in direct communication sessions with the Earth several times and enjoyed the views of the planet from an orbit of an altitude of about 575 kilometers, considerably higher than the International Space Station.
The Crew Dragon spacecraft was upgraded specifically for tourist flights and is equipped with a transparent dome that provides a panoramic view.
Prior to the splashdown, SpaceX reported that for the first time a ship and crew would return to Earth on the Atlantic Ocean, as previously all manned Crew Dragon missions splashed down in the Pacific Ocean, off the coast of California.
A helicopter from SpaceX’s “Go Searcher” recovery ship is inbound to Kennedy Space Center. The Inspiration4 crew is believed to be onboard. pic.twitter.com/Jui4s21pC8
— Stephen Clark (@StephenClark1) September 19, 2021
Inspiration4's mission is said to be primarily charitable, raising funds for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, which specializes in childhood cancer. All four places on the ship were paid for - without disclosing the amount - by billionaire Jared Isaacman, 38, who owns a popular payment service sold to restaurants and hotels called Shift4 Payments.
