Latest news with #splashdown
Washington Post
15-07-2025
- Science
- Washington Post
Private spaceflight ends with a Pacific splashdown for astronauts from India, Poland and Hungary
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — A private spaceflight featuring the first astronauts in more than 40 years from India, Poland and Hungary came to a close Tuesday with a Pacific splashdown. Their SpaceX capsule undocked from the I nternational Space Station on Monday and parachuted into the ocean off the Southern California coast, less than 24 hours later.
CTV News
15-07-2025
- Science
- CTV News
Private spaceflight ends with a Pacific splashdown for astronauts from India, Poland and Hungary
This image made from video provided by SpaceX shows a SpaceX capsule carrying four astronauts parachuting into the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Southern California on Tuesday, July 15, 2025. (SpaceX via AP) CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — A private spaceflight featuring the first astronauts in more than 40 years from India, Poland and Hungary came to a close Tuesday with a Pacific splashdown. Their SpaceX capsule undocked from the International Space Station on Monday and parachuted into the ocean off the Southern California coast, less than 24 hours later. The crew of four launched nearly three weeks ago on a flight chartered by the Houston company Axiom Space. Axiom's Peggy Whitson, the most experienced U.S. astronaut, served as commander. Joining her were India's Shubhanshu Shukla, Poland's Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski and Hungary's Tibor Kapu, whose countries paid more than $65 million apiece for the mission. 'Thanks for the great ride and safe trip,' Whitson radioed moments after splashdown. Her record now stands at 695 days in space over five missions, longer than any other American or woman. The visiting astronauts conducted dozens of experiments in orbit while celebrating their heritage. The last time India, Poland and Hungary put anyone in space was during the late 1970s and 1980s, launching with the Soviets. They waved and smiled as they emerged from the capsule, one by one, into the early morning darkness. It was Axiom's fourth mission to the orbiting outpost since 2022, part of NASA's ongoing effort to open up space to more businesses and people. The company is one of several developing their own space stations to replace the current one. NASA plans to abandon the outpost in 2030, after more than 30 years of operation. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Marcia Dunn, The Associated Press
CBS News
15-07-2025
- Science
- CBS News
Privately-funded crew returns to Earth in SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule after commercial space station visit
America's most experienced astronaut and three international crewmates plunged back to Earth aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule early Tuesday, closing out a 20-day commercial flight to the International Space Station with a foggy Pacific Ocean splashdown Retired NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, the U.S. record holder for time in space, Indian test pilot Shubhanshu Shukla, Polish astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski and Hungarian engineer Tibor Kapu undocked from the space station early Monday. After nearly a full day coasting around the planet while waiting for the orbit to line up with the re-entry trajectory, the Crew Dragon's forward Draco thrusters fired for nearly 18 minutes starting at 4:37 a.m. EDT Tuesday to drop the ship out of orbit. Plunging back into the discernible atmosphere on a northwest-to-southeast trajectory, the capsule rapidly decelerated in a blaze of re-entry heating before parachutes deployed to lower the ship to a gentle splashdown just west of San Diego at 5:31 a.m. Over the next hour, SpaceX support crews "safed" the Crew Dragon, hauled it aboard the recovery ship Shannon, opened the side hatch and helped the returning fliers out of the spacecraft as they began re-adjusting to gravity after a three-week sojourn in weightlessness. All four appeared healthy and in good spirits, smiling and waving as they exited. This was the fourth so-called "private astronaut mission" to the International Space Station sponsored by Houston-based Axiom Space, which works with NASA to provide privately-funded research trips to the station. The company charges up to $70 million or so per seat to carry non-NASA astronauts, professional researchers and others to the space station that might otherwise have no other route to orbit. Axiom Space is using the missions to gain experience as the company presses ahead with plans to build a commercial space station that will provide a destination in low-Earth orbit for NASA and other nations after the International Space Station is retired in 2030. Throughout their two-week mission, Whitson and her crewmates carried out a full slate of science research and technology demonstrations, along with interactive educational events with students and others in the crew's home countries. Researchers from 31 countries are helping evaluate data from the Ax-4 experiments and technology demonstrations. Whitson, a retired NASA astronaut, is the most experienced American space flier, with 695 days and six hours and 48 minutes in orbit during five spaceflights -- three for NASA and two for Axiom Space. She now ranks eighth in the world for most time in space behind seven Russian cosmonauts. She also logged 10 spacewalks during her earlier flights, making her the most experienced female spacewalker and seventh in the world overall.
BreakingNews.ie
15-07-2025
- Science
- BreakingNews.ie
Private spaceflight ends with Pacific splashdown for astronauts
A private spaceflight featuring the first astronauts in more than 40 years from India, Poland and Hungary came to a close on Tuesday with a Pacific splashdown. The SpaceX capsule undocked from the International Space Station on Monday and parachuted into the ocean off the Southern California coast, less than 24 hours later. Advertisement The crew of four launched nearly three weeks ago on a flight chartered by the Houston company Axiom Space. The SpaceX capsule undocked from the International Space Station and splashed down in the Pacific less than 24 hours later (NASA via AP) Axiom's Peggy Whitson, the most experienced US astronaut, served as commander. Joining her were India's Shubhanshu Shukla, Poland's Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski and Hungary's Tibor Kapu, whose countries paid more than 65 million dollars (£48 million) apiece for the mission. Moments after splashdown, speaking on the radio, Dr Whitson said: 'Thanks for the great ride and safe trip.' Advertisement The visiting astronauts conducted dozens of experiments in orbit while celebrating their heritage. The 11 astronauts aboard the International Space Station shared a group hug ahead of the departure of the private crew of four (Axiom Space via AP) The last time India, Poland and Hungary put anyone in space was during the late 1970s and 1980s, launching with the Soviets. It was Axiom's fourth mission to the orbiting outpost since 2022, part of Nasa's ongoing effort to open up space to more businesses and people. The company is one of several developing their own space stations to replace the current one. Advertisement Nasa plans to abandon the outpost in 2030, after more than 30 years of operation.
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Private spaceflight ends with Pacific splashdown for astronauts
A private spaceflight featuring the first astronauts in more than 40 years from India, Poland and Hungary came to a close on Tuesday with a Pacific splashdown. The SpaceX capsule undocked from the International Space Station on Monday and parachuted into the ocean off the Southern California coast, less than 24 hours later. The crew of four launched nearly three weeks ago on a flight chartered by the Houston company Axiom Space. Axiom's Peggy Whitson, the most experienced US astronaut, served as commander. Joining her were India's Shubhanshu Shukla, Poland's Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski and Hungary's Tibor Kapu, whose countries paid more than 65 million dollars (£48 million) apiece for the mission. Moments after splashdown, speaking on the radio, Dr Whitson said: 'Thanks for the great ride and safe trip.' The visiting astronauts conducted dozens of experiments in orbit while celebrating their heritage. The last time India, Poland and Hungary put anyone in space was during the late 1970s and 1980s, launching with the Soviets. It was Axiom's fourth mission to the orbiting outpost since 2022, part of Nasa's ongoing effort to open up space to more businesses and people. The company is one of several developing their own space stations to replace the current one. Nasa plans to abandon the outpost in 2030, after more than 30 years of operation.
