NASA Astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken Return to Earth

On August 2, 2020, NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken successfully returned to Earth aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft, marking a significant milestone in space exploration history. This event concluded the first crewed orbital spaceflight launched from the United States since the Space Shuttle program ended in 2011.

Background

• Space Shuttle Program End: NASA’s Space Shuttle program concluded in 2011 with the final flight of Atlantis on STS-135. Since then, NASA relied on Russian Soyuz spacecraft to transport astronauts to and from the International Space Station (ISS).

• Commercial Crew Program: In response, NASA initiated the Commercial Crew Program to partner with private companies to develop new spacecraft capable of carrying astronauts to the ISS. SpaceX and Boeing were selected as primary partners.

• SpaceX Crew Dragon: SpaceX developed the Crew Dragon spacecraft, designed to carry up to seven astronauts. It underwent rigorous testing, including an uncrewed test flight (Demo-1) in March 2019.

Key Events Leading to the Return

• Launch: On May 30, 2020, SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, named Endeavour, launched atop a Falcon 9 rocket from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This mission, known as Demo-2, was the first crewed launch from U.S. soil in nearly a decade.

• Mission Objectives: The primary goal was to validate the Crew Dragon’s capabilities, including its launch, docking, and landing systems. Hurley and Behnken conducted various tests and participated in scientific research aboard the ISS.

Return to Earth

• Undocking and Re-entry: On August 1, 2020, Crew Dragon undocked from the ISS. The spacecraft performed a series of maneuvers to safely re-enter Earth’s atmosphere.

• Splashdown: On August 2, 2020, at 2:48 PM EDT, Crew Dragon successfully splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Pensacola, Florida. This marked the first water landing for U.S. astronauts since 1975 during the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project.

Aftermath and Significance

• Milestone for SpaceX and NASA: The successful completion of Demo-2 validated SpaceX’s Crew Dragon as a reliable spacecraft for human spaceflight, paving the way for regular crewed missions to the ISS.

• Resumption of U.S. Launch Capabilities: This mission marked the return of U.S. capabilities to launch astronauts from American soil, reducing reliance on international partners.

• Future Missions: Following the success of Demo-2, NASA certified Crew Dragon for operational missions, leading to the Crew-1 mission in November 2020, which carried four astronauts to the ISS.

The return of Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken aboard Crew Dragon was a pivotal moment in modern space exploration, symbolizing a new era of collaboration between NASA and private industry.