NASA Dragon spacecraft’s return to Earth may be visible locally early Tuesday
The NASA Crew Dragon Endurance spacecraft will splashdown in the northern Gulf of Mexico early Tuesday morning. The NASA Crew Dragon Endurance spacecraft is set to splashdown in the northern Gulf of Mexico early Tuesday morning. The reentry into Earth’s atmosphere will be visible across at least 12 states, including parts of southeast Louisiana and southern Mississippi. The spacecraft is carrying an international crew of 4 astronauts, with American Lt. Col Jasmin Moghbeli serving as commander of Crew-7. The splashdown will occur at 4:50 a.m. local (CDT) time. Weather conditions are crucial for the location of the splashdown, with winds no greater than 16 kilometers per hour, waves not greater than a seven-degree slope, and no lightning within 16 kilometers.
Published : 2 months ago by Steve Caparotta in Science
BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - The NASA Crew Dragon Endurance spacecraft will splashdown in the northern Gulf of Mexico early Tuesday morning. A map of its return path shared by NASA indicates that the reentry into Earth’s atmosphere will be visible across at least 12 states, including parts of southeast Louisiana and southern Mississippi. Splashdown is scheduled to occur at 4:50 a.m. local (CDT) time.
Endurance is carrying an international crew of 4 astronauts, with American Lt. Col Jasmin Moghbeli of the Marine Corps serving as commander of Crew-7. The team spent just over 6 months aboard the International Space Station (ISS). A handoff ceremony occurred on Monday as Crew-7 departed the ISS and was replaced by Crew-8.
According to NASA, 7 sites off the coast of Florida could be used for the return of Endurance, but the map provided by the agency seems to indicate that a splashdown just offshore of Pensacola is planned.
Weather is a key deciding factor in the splashdown location, with NASA noting the following requirements:
“Whichever site is chosen will need to have winds no greater than 16 and a half kilometers per hour, waves not greater than a seven-degree slope or with the same wave period and height, probability of rain less than 25 percent, and no lightning within 16 kilometers or a probability of greater than 25 percent of lightning in the area.”
Upon reentry to Earth’s atmosphere, plasma generated around the spacecraft will cause a temporary blackout in communications with the crew. Once communications resume, Endurance will eventually splashdown with the aid of 4 parachutes.
Topics: Space, NASA