In a significant milestone, Elon Musk’s SpaceX successfully achieved a splashdown with its Starship rocket system. This was the fourth test flight for the vehicle and its first controlled return and landing in the ocean. The main goal of this test was to re-enter the atmosphere in a controlled manner and gently land in the Indian Ocean. The mission was a success, with the upper section of the rocket, ‘Ship’, descending fully intact to the sea.
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What is splashdown?
Splashdown signifies the descent of a spacecraft into a large body of water, like the sea or ocean, using parachutes for a controlled descent. This method has been used in NASA’s Apollo missions and more recent programs, such as SpaceX’s Dragon capsules.
Procedure
The splashdown process starts with the spacecraft re-entering the Earth’s atmosphere at high speeds up to 27,000 km/h, protected by a heat shield to prevent burning from the intense frictional heat. Once through the upper atmosphere, the spacecraft deploys parachutes to slow its descent. Upon landing in the ocean, it floats with the help of inflatable floatation collars that keep it upright and stable. Recovery teams, often consisting of naval ships and helicopters, then locate and retrieve the spacecraft and its crew, transporting them to a recovery ship.
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History
Splashdowns were first used in the early days of space exploration. The Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programs all relied on splashdowns as their primary recovery method. Apollo 11, the first mission to land people on the Moon, ended with a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean on July 24, 1969. The choice of water landings was influenced by the vast, open areas oceans provide, which minimize the risk of collision and allow for relatively soft landings.
Are splashdowns safe?
Splashdowns are generally safe because water provides a soft landing surface, significantly reducing the impact force on the spacecraft and its occupants. The vast areas provided by oceans make it easier to predict and manage the spacecraft’s landing zone, simplifying recovery operations. However, splashdowns come with challenges. Ensuring the spacecraft lands within the designated recovery area can be difficult due to changing weather and unpredictable ocean currents. Coordinating ships and helicopters to quickly recover the spacecraft in rough seas can be complicated and costly. Conditions after splashdown, such as the spacecraft capsizing or taking on water, pose risks that require careful design and quick recovery actions to keep astronauts safe.
The Team, M31Global News