The Crew 10 mission successfully completed a water landing off the California coast Saturday morning, right on schedule at 11:33 a.m. Eastern Time.
The SpaceX MV Shannon rescue team quickly retrieved the Dragon capsule with NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nicole Ayers, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency representative Takuya Onishi and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov.
The first person to speak to the returning researchers after the hatch was depressurized was a NASA medical specialist.
Space agency spokeswoman Regan Scharfetter said during a live broadcast that the evacuation in the San Diego area took place under “reasonably favorable conditions.”
It took about 60 minutes from the moment the Dragon Endurance capsule touched down on the water until the four travelers exited the spacecraft.
The undocking from the International Space Station occurred Friday evening, with official confirmation coming at 6:30 p.m. ET.
The team's return was originally planned for Thursday, but was postponed due to unfavorable weather conditions in the landing zone.
During the five-month period of work on the orbital station, the mission participants completed a series of research projects and scientific experiments.
Nicole Ayers actively shared materials about the flight, posting photos and videos on her social media pages.
“Unbelievable! It's hard to comprehend how quickly the days have flown by and that today is our final moment on the station. Eternally grateful to this team,” she wrote in her final post before departure.
“They made our expedition an unforgettable adventure. We shared heartfelt conversations, laughed until we cried, and demonstrated impeccable teamwork. You couldn't ask for better colleagues. Let's go home! Go Team 10!”
The space agency has organised an online broadcast of the fully automated spacecraft's 400-kilometre descent.
The Falcon 9 rocket separated from the Dragon spacecraft shortly before 11 a.m. ET Saturday.
The event marked the first time a commercial NASA spacecraft landed outside the Florida region.
After completing post-flight procedures, the team will undergo a medical examination and travel to the Houston training center.
The Crew-10 mission launched on March 14 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. It docked with the ISS 48 hours after launch, allowing for a crew rotation, including two specialists who had arrived earlier on a Boeing Starliner.
Sourse: www.upi.com
