May 8, 2024

Splashdown! NASA’s SpaceX Crew-4 Safely Returns to Earth

NASA astronauts Bob Hines, Kjell Lindgren, and Jessica Watkins and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti returned to Earth in a parachute-assisted splashdown at 4:55 p.m. EDT (1:55 p.m. PDT). After returning to shore, all astronauts will fly to NASAs Johnson Space Center in Houston. Their work aboard the orbiting laboratory will assist prepare future explorers for future space missions,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. The Crew-4 objective introduced at 3:52 a.m. EDT on April 27 on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Lindgren has actually logged 311 days in area over his two flights, and with the conclusion of their flight today, Cristoforetti has logged 369 days in space on her two flights, making her second on the all-time list for the majority of days in area by a lady.

The SpaceX Dragon Freedom crew ship with four Crew-4 astronauts aboard undocks from the spaceport station to start its go back to Earth. Credit: NASA TV
” Welcome home Crew-4! This international team has invested almost 6 months on the International Space Station carrying out science for the benefit of all. Their work aboard the orbiting lab will assist prepare future explorers for future area objectives,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “Working and living on the space station is the opportunity of a life time, but it also needs these explorers to make sacrifices, specifically time far from liked ones. Kjell, Bob, Jessica, and Samantha, thank you for your contributions over the previous six months to discovery, science, and development!”
The Crew-4 mission released at 3:52 a.m. EDT on April 27 on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Less than 16 hours later, Dragon docked to the Harmony modules space-facing port. The astronauts undocked from the same port at 12:05 p.m. Friday, to start the trip home.
The SpaceX Dragon Freedom team ship is visualized docked to the Harmony modules space-facing port where it been parked because April 27, 2022. Credit: NASA TELEVISION
Hines, Lindgren, Watkins, and Cristoforetti took a trip 72,168,935 miles during their mission, invested 170 days aboard the space station, and completed 2,720 orbits around Earth. Lindgren has logged 311 days in space over his 2 flights, and with the conclusion of their flight today, Cristoforetti has actually logged 369 days in space on her two flights, making her second on the all-time list for most days in space by a lady. The Crew-4 mission was the very first spaceflight for Hines and Watkins.
Throughout their mission, the Crew-4 astronauts contributed to a host of science and upkeep activities and technology presentations. Cristoforetti finished 2 spacewalks with Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev to perform station upkeep and upgrades.
Astronauts (from left) Jessica Watkins, Bob Hines, Kjell Lindgren, and Samantha Cristoforetti speak to journalists in the world about their area station mission. Credit: NASA TV
Crew-4 continued deal with investigations recording how improvements to the area diet impact immune function and the gut microbiome, identifying the result of fuel temperature level on the flammability of a product, checking out possible adverse effects on astronaut hearing from equipment sound and microgravity, and studying whether ingredients reduce the stability or increase of emulsions. The astronauts also investigated microgravity-induced changes in the human immune system comparable to aging, evaluated a novel water-reclamation membrane, and took a look at a concrete option made with a product discovered in lunar and Martian dust.
The spacecraft, named Freedom by Crew-4, will return to Florida for examination and processing at SpaceXs Dragon Lair, where groups will examine the spacecrafts information and efficiency throughout the flight.
The Crew-4 flight belongs to NASAs Commercial Crew Program and its go back to Earth follows on the heels of NASAs SpaceX Crew-5 launch, which docked to the station Oct. 6, beginning another science exploration.
The objective of NASAs Commercial Crew Program is safe, reputable, and economical transport to and from the International Space Station. This currently has actually provided extra research time and has actually increased the chance for discovery aboard humankinds microgravity testbed for expedition, consisting of assisting NASA get ready for human exploration of the Moon and Mars.

The SpaceX Dragon Freedom team ship carrying four astronauts crashes in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Florida. Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls
NASA astronauts Bob Hines, Kjell Lindgren, and Jessica Watkins, along with ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti crashed securely in the SpaceX Dragon Freedom in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Jacksonville, Florida, at 4:55 p.m. EDT after 170 days in space.
NASAs SpaceX Crew-4 astronauts aboard the Dragon spacecraft securely splashed down Friday off the coast of Jacksonville, Florida, completing the agencys fourth industrial team mission to the International Space Station. The global crew of four spent 170 days in orbit.
NASA astronauts Bob Hines, Kjell Lindgren, and Jessica Watkins and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti returned to Earth in a parachute-assisted splashdown at 4:55 p.m. EDT (1:55 p.m. PDT). Teams aboard SpaceX recovery vessels recovered the spacecraft and astronauts. After going back to shore, all astronauts will fly to NASAs Johnson Space Center in Houston. Cristoforetti then will board an aircraft to Europe.