SpaceX Astronauts Successfully Splash Down Off Southern California Coast

Video above: This Nexstar Media video explains how Starlink satellites work in space.

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — After more than four months aboard the International Space Station, four astronauts safely returned to Earth Saturday morning with a splashdown off the coast of San Diego, wrapping up NASA and SpaceX’s Crew-10 mission.

According to SpaceX, the Dragon spacecraft undocked from the ISS at 3:05 p.m. PT on Friday, Aug. 8, and completed a series of precise “orbit-lowering maneuvers” before re-entering Earth’s atmosphere. The capsule made a successful splashdown at 8:33 a.m. PT on Saturday in the Pacific Ocean, approximately 17 hours since the crew’s departure.

Aboard the spacecraft were NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov. All four crewmembers are reported to be in good health following recovery operations.

The mission, launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida on March 14, marked a 145-day stay in orbit. The Dragon capsule autonomously docked with the ISS just over a day after launch and supported a wide range of scientific research during its time in space.

While in orbit, Crew-10 contributed to experiments aimed at advancing future human space exploration and improving life on Earth, including studies on microgravity’s effects on human health and new technologies for long-duration missions, SpaceX officials explained.

This Dragon spacecraft has now completed multiple missions, having previously flown NASA’s Crew-3, Crew-5, and Crew-7 missions. The Falcon 9 rocket used in this mission also marked its second flight, previously launching the SES 03b mPOWER satellite.

NASA and SpaceX streamed the re-entry and splashdown live via webcast and on the new X TV app, giving space enthusiasts a front-row seat to the exciting conclusion of the mission.

The safe return off California’s southern coast marks another milestone in the ongoing partnership between NASA and SpaceX as they continue to advance crewed spaceflight capabilities.