Tag: SpaceX Crew-6

Crew-6 Returns Safely to Earth after Splashdown

The SpaceX Dragon Endeavour is seen as it splashes down in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Jacksonville, Florida, at 12:17 a.m. EDT, returning Crew-6 to Earth. Credits: NASA TV.

 

NASA astronauts Stephen Bowen and Woody Hoburg, UAE (United Arab Emirates) astronaut Sultan Alneyadi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev splashed down safely in the SpaceX Dragon Endeavour in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Jacksonville, Florida, at 12:17 a.m. EDT after 186 days in space.

Teams on the SpaceX recovery ship, including two fast boats, now are in the process of securing Dragon and ensuring the spacecraft is safe for the recovery effort. As the fast boat teams complete their work, the recovery ship will move into position to hoist Dragon onto the main deck with the astronauts inside. Once on the main deck, the crew will be taken out of the spacecraft and receive medical checks before a helicopter ride to board a plane for Houston.

Learn more about station activities by following the space station blog, @space_station and @ISS_Research on X, as well as the ISS Facebook and ISS Instagram accounts.

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Deorbit Burn Complete

NASA's SpaceX Crew-6 crew members are seen inside the Dragon Endeavour spacecraft during their return to Earth on Sept. 3, 2023.
NASA’s SpaceX Crew-6 crew members are seen inside the Dragon Endeavour spacecraft during their return to Earth on Sept. 3, 2023. Photo credit: NASA TV

The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft carrying NASA astronauts Stephen Bowen and Woody Hoburg, UAE (United Arab Emirates) astronaut Sultan Alneyadi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev on their return to Earth after a nearly six-month science mission has completed its deorbit burn as expected ahead of splashdown at about 12:17 a.m. EDT in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Jacksonville, Florida.

Four minutes before splashdown, the drogue parachutes will deploy at about 18,000 feet in altitude while Dragon is moving approximately 350 miles per hour, and less than a minute later, the main parachutes deploy at about 6,000 feet in altitude while the spacecraft is moving approximately 119 miles per hour.

NASA TV coverage available online and via the NASA app will continue until the crew is recovered from the spacecraft.

Learn more about station activities by following the space station blog, @space_station and @ISS_Research on X, as well as the ISS Facebook and ISS Instagram accounts.

Get weekly video highlights at: https://roundupreads.jsc.nasa.gov/videoupdate/

Get the latest from NASA delivered every week. Subscribe here: www.nasa.gov/subscribe

Crew-6 Coming Up on Deorbit Burn for Splashdown

SpaceX's Dragon Endeavour spacecraft approaches the International Space Station.
The SpaceX Crew Dragon Endeavour with four Crew-6 members aboard approaches the International Space Station for an automated docking to the Harmony module’s space-facing port on March 3, 2023. Aboard Endeavour, were Commander Stephen Bowen and Pilot Woody Hoburg, both from NASA, and Mission Specialists Sultan Alneyadi from UAE (United Arab Emirates) and Andrey Fedyaev from Roscosmos, who joined the Expedition 68 crew shortly after docking to the orbital lab.

Watch the agency’s live coverage as NASA astronauts Stephen Bowen and Woody Hoburg, UAE (United Arab Emirates) astronaut Sultan Alneyadi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev inside the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft work toward a splashdown in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Jacksonville, Florida, at about 12:17 a.m. EDT. Recovery forces are taking positions in the recovery zone.

The deorbit burn is scheduled to begin at 11:24 p.m. EDT.

Weather Remains Primary Concern for Crew-6 Return

The official crew photo for NASA's SpaceX Crew-6 mission showcasing NASA astronauts Stephen Bowen and Woody Hoburg, UAE (United Arab Emirates) astronaut Sultan Alneyadi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev.
The official SpaceX Crew-6 portrait with (from left), Mission Specialist and UAE (United Arab Emirates) astronaut Sultan Alneyadi; Pilot Woody Hoburg and Commander Stephen Bowen, both NASA astronauts; and Mission Specialist and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev.

NASA and SpaceX met Friday evening to continue close evaluations of weather conditions around Florida’s coastline as they consider the best options for Crew-6 to return to Earth. Teams are working toward an undocking opportunity of no earlier than 7:05 a.m. EDT on Sunday, Sept. 3, with the first potential splashdown opportunity no earlier than 12:07 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 4. Teams are proceeding to the next weather briefing scheduled for Saturday morning to continue assessing weather for the primary target. Additional undock and splashdown opportunities are available early next week if weather conditions continue to be unfavorable over the weekend.

The Dragon spacecraft, named Endeavour, remains healthy while currently docked to the International Space Station. Dragon has been cleared for departure and re-entry by the space station and Dragon mission management teams. Pre-departure checkouts of the spacecraft were conducted Friday with normal performance across all systems. Operations teams are not working any major issues and there are currently no constraints to flight.

For the current undocking opportunity, NASA TV coverage can be found of the agency’s television schedule.

Follow along for details about the crew’s return to Earth and NASA’s Commercial Crew Program on the Crew-6 blog, the space station blog, the commercial crew blog, @commercial_crew on X, and commercial crew on Facebook.

Weather Delays NASA’s SpaceX Crew-6 Undocking from Station on Saturday

Four Expedition 69 flight engineers aboard the International Space Station pose for a portrait in their pressure suits. Clockwise from bottom, are NASA astronaut Stephen Bowen; UAE (United Arab Emirates) astronaut Sultan Alneyadi; NASA astronaut Woody Hoburg; and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev. Photo credit: NASA

NASA and SpaceX are standing down from the Saturday, Sept. 2, departure opportunities for the agency’s Crew-6 mission from the International Space Station due to unfavorable weather conditions near the splashdown sites off the coast of Florida. The next available undocking opportunity is no earlier than 7:05 a.m. EDT on Sunday, Sept. 3, with a splashdown no earlier than 12:07 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 4, pending weather evaluations.

Mission teams will meet Friday evening to determine the viability of the next Crew-6 undock target. The Dragon spacecraft, named Endeavour, remains healthy while currently docked to the space station as Crew-6 prepares for their return trip to Earth completing a nearly six-month science mission in orbit.

Crew-6’s Dragon undocking depends on a variety of factors, including spacecraft readiness, recovery team readiness, weather, sea states, and other factors.

NASA will provide more information about live coverage of the upcoming return activities for the Crew-6 mission with NASA astronauts Stephen Bowen and Woody Hoburg, as well as UAE (United Arab Emirates) astronaut Sultan Alneyadi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev.

NASA TV coverage for the Sept. 3 undocking and Sept. 4 splashdown opportunity, if it is chosen, will be:

Sunday, Sept. 3 (All times eastern and subject to change depending on operations)

5 a.m. – Hatch closure coverage; ending shortly after hatch closure

6:45 a.m. – Coverage resumes for undocking, ending after Dragon departs Approach Ellipsoid

(Coverage shifts to Mission Audio commentary after approach ellipsoid exit)

7:05 a.m. – Undocking

11 p.m. – Coverage resumes for deorbit burn and splashdown

11:15 p.m. – Deorbit burn

Monday, Sept. 4

12:07 a.m. – Splashdown

Mission Specialist Assigned to Crew-6 Space Station Mission

United Arab Emirates astronaut, Sultan AlNeyadi.
Official Portrait of United Arab Emirates astronaut, Sultan Alneyadi. Photo credit: Robert Markowitz

The final crew member for NASA’s SpaceX Crew-6 mission, currently targeted to launch to the International Space Station in spring 2023, has been announced. The Mohammed bin Rashid Space Center of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) named Sultan Alneyadi to spend approximately six months aboard the space station as part of Expeditions 68/69. Mission Specialist Alneyadi joins NASA astronauts Stephen Bowen and Woody Hoburg, who will serve as spacecraft commander and pilot, respectively, for the mission, and cosmonaut Andrei Fedyaev of Roscosmos.

To ensure continuous U.S. presence aboard the International Space Station, NASA signed a contract in 2021 with Axiom Space to fly a NASA astronaut on a Soyuz rotation in exchange for a seat on a future U.S. commercial spacecraft. Axiom announced an agreement on April 29, 2022, with the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Center of the UAE to fly its crew member in the seat.

The UAE astronaut corps has been in training with NASA at the Johnson Space Center since 2019, including spacewalk training, onboard systems and T-38 training. Alneyadi will continue crewmember training for the Dragon spacecraft and international partner segments.