SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft, Freedom, has successfully begun its descent through Earth’s atmosphere, temporarily losing signal as it re-enters. Contact will be re-established once the capsule clears atmospheric entry, with splashdown expected off the coast of Tallahassee, Florida, in just moments.
Aboard the spacecraft are NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who spent an unexpected nine months in space, alongside fellow American Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov. The crew departed the International Space Station (ISS) earlier today, marking the final stage of their extended mission.
NASA’s live feed captured the excitement as the capsule neared Earth. A commentator announced, “Crew 9 back on Earth!” met with cheers from the mission control team. The return of the astronauts marks another milestone for SpaceX’s partnership with NASA, reinforcing the company’s role in transporting astronauts to and from the ISS safely.