jeudi 31 mai 2012

Dragon Returns to Earth












NASA / SpaceX - Cots Demo-2 Mission patch.

May 31, 2012


Image above: Artist's rendition of SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft as it returns to Earth. Dragon's PICA-X heat shield protects the vehicle as it returns to Earth like a burning comet. Credit: SpaceX.

SpaceX's Dragon capsule splash down

SpaceX's Dragon capsule splashed down in the Pacific Ocean at 11:42 a.m. EDT a few hundred miles west of Baja California, Mexico, marking a successful end to the first mission by a commercial company to resupply the International Space Station.


Image above: The SpaceX Dragon cargo vehicle floats in the Pacific Ocean after splashdown. Credit: SpaceX.

This mission is a demonstration flight by Space Exploration Technologies, or SpaceX, as part of its contract with NASA to have private companies launch cargo safely to the International Space Station.

For more information about SpaceX Dragon spacecraft Cost Demo-2 Mission, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/commercial/cargo/spacex_index.html

Images (mentioned), Video, Text, Credits: NASA / NASA TV / SapceX.

Cheers, Orbiter.ch