SpaceX Crew Dragon Demo-2: How to watch NASA astronauts return to Earth – CNET

The SpaceX Crew Dragon Demo-2 mission has up to now been silent sailing for NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley had a successful launch and proceed to the World Feature Site in late Would possibly maybe well merely. Now they’re ready to advance again down as early as this Sunday.

The return to Earth takes some time, and NASA will be there alongside the procedure with a livestream on NASA TV. 

Stormy weather on the doable splashdown sites within the Atlantic might maybe well perhaps complicate the time desk. “We’re going to establish the weather very relatively. Now we have a series of sites and masses of days. If we kind now not undock on Saturday to advance dwelling on Sunday, we might maybe well switch undocking to Monday,” NASA Commercial Crew Program manager Steve Stich mentioned in an announcement on Wednesday.

While the timing facts might maybe well perhaps commerce, NASA has dwelling the following coverage time desk for the major milestones:

Saturday, Aug. 1:

• ISS farewell ceremony coverage at 6: 10 a.m. PT.
• Undocking coverage begins at 2: 15 p.m. PT forward of the 4: 34 p.m. departure.

Sunday, Aug. 2:

• Splashdown within the Atlantic Ocean is centered for 11: 42 a.m. PT. 
• Put up-splashdown files conference dwelling for 2 p.m. PT.

The reentry path of is dramatic. “Crew Dragon will be touring at orbital bustle before reentry, transferring at roughly 17,500 miles per hour. The maximum temperature it should always journey on reentry is roughly 3,500 degrees Fahrenheit,” mentioned NASA in an announcement on July 24.

A SpaceX recovery vessel will meet Crew Dragon (which the astronauts named Endeavour) to bag the spacecraft and parachutes from the water. Endeavour will be hoisted onto the ship and Behnken and Hurley will be greeted by a clinical crew. 

There might maybe be loads using on a exact, uneventful return for Crew Dragon. “Right here’s SpaceX’s final check flight and is providing files on the efficiency of the Falcon 9 rocket, Crew Dragon spacecraft and floor programs, apart from in-orbit, docking, splashdown and recovery operations,” NASA mentioned in a unlock.

If Crew Dragon passes these final assessments, then SpaceX will be ready to provide traditional, operational flights to the ISS beginning later this year. And it might maybe well maybe most likely well perhaps cease NASA’s reliance on Russian spacecraft for the major time for the explanation that shuttle skills.