crew dragon splashdown ISS NASA spacex

Dragon successfully splashed down in the Altantic Ocean on 8 March 2019. / Image via Twitter: @SpaceX

Watch: Splashdown of Dragon SpaceX Capsule in Atlantic Ocean [video]

SpaceX completed the historic test drive and the Crew Dragon Capsule returned home successfully.

crew dragon splashdown ISS NASA spacex

Dragon successfully splashed down in the Altantic Ocean on 8 March 2019. / Image via Twitter: @SpaceX

On 2 March 2019, SpaceX launched their Dragon capsule from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) – a capsule which will be used to ferry astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) from July 2019.

The capsule was sent to the ISS on a test run, where it docked with the ISS until 7 March. It returned home today after offloading about 400 pounds of supplies for the International Space station.

Creation of Dragon is historic in the sense that it will allow NASA to send astronauts to the ISS from American soil. Since 2011, NASA had been using Russian Soyuz missions to transport astronauts back and forth to the ISS, at the cost of approximately $80m per astronaut.

Watch: SpaceX’s Dragon capsule splashdown

SpaceX began development of Dragon capsule five years ago. The capsule has windows, seats and life support control systems, along with state-of-the-art controls and an emergency-escape system.

As reported by The Guardian, splashdown was expected at 13:45 GMT on Friday, and a GO Searcher vessels was on standby to recover the capsule from the Atlantic Ocean.

Watch: Dragon Splashdown countdown

The mission went off without a hitch and is set to revolutionise NASA’s future missions. Astronaut Doug Hurley will be one of the first crew members to head up to the ISS in July 2018.

He said the Dragon project is “a pretty big deal,” and recalled how the project went from the “PowerPoint charts” phase to point where NASA had a “vehicle out on the pad.”

Dragon Capsule – Photo Gallery

Dragon Space X splashdown NASA ISS
First reflight of the Dragon spacecraft to the International Space Station for NASA, as indicated by the ISS emblem just beneath the SpaceX logo. Photo: SpaceX
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View from the International Space Station of Dragon’s forward hatch
Dragon Space X splashdown
Falcon 9 launch vehicle with the Crew Dragon spacecraft in preparation for SpaceX’s first demonstration mission under NASA’s Commercial Crew program
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The uncrewed SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft just moments after undocking from the International Space Station. Photo: NASA/Norah Moran
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Crew Dragon spacecraft on it’s way back to Earth after undocking from the International Space Station at 2:32 am EST on 8 March 2019. Photo: NASA/Norah Moran
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Crew Dragon re-entering the Earth’s atmosphere. NASA’s WB-57 is capturing the flight. / Image via Twitter: @Commercial_Crew (NASA Commercial Crew)
Dragon Space X splashdown
Splashdown of Dragon confirmed. / Image via Twitter: @SpaceX