Axiom Space 3 Astronauts Successfully Splash Down in Atlantic Ocean off Daytona Beach, Florida
The Axiom Space 3 (Ax-3) astronauts have safely returned to Earth after a successful mission aboard the SpaceX Dragon Freedom capsule. The capsule splashed down in the Atlantic Ocean offshore from Daytona Beach on Friday morning, marking the end of an incredible journey. The reentry of the spacecraft caused a sonic boom that was heard by residents in Volusia County, particularly those near the beachside.
The sonic boom took place at around 8:30 a.m., catching many people off guard. Joe Connor, an employee at Beachside Cafe in Ormond Beach, was sitting outside when he heard the loud noise. He recalled, “There was a bunch of people (in the restaurant) and they didn’t know what the sound was. They thought the building got hit or there was an earthquake or something.”
Jennifer Feuer, a volunteer at the Marine Science Center in Ponce Inlet, also heard the boom while she was in her backyard. She expressed her surprise, saying, “We heard this big boom. It was quite loud.” Feuer and her neighbors had their doors and garage open, amplifying the sound. She added, “So it was louder than normal because we were outside.”
Amy Tobias, another volunteer at the center, had a similar experience. She heard the boom while she was in her car but didn’t realize what it was until later. Tobias shared an amusing encounter she had with someone at the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse parking lot, saying, “I was coming through the entry gate and the same lady is there every Friday, and she was giggling when I pulled up. I said, ‘What are you laughing about?’ She said, ‘Those people just ahead of you came to watch the reentry and they’re just a few minutes too late.'”
For some residents, the sonic boom wasn’t entirely surprising. Tobias explained, “There’s so much going on nearby that half the time you are like, ‘Oh, it’s just another launch.’ To me, it sounds like a big dump truck in the distance, is how I always describe it.” Living near the beach, they often hear random booms, making it difficult to differentiate between them.
The SpaceX Dragon capsule completed its journey with a smooth splashdown near the Daytona Beach coast. The trunk of the Dragon was jettisoned at 7:37 a.m., and the deorbit burn was complete by 7:55 a.m. The four astronauts aboard the capsule were Commander López-Alegría, Alper Gezeravcı, Marcus Wandt, and Walter Villadei. They experienced a communications blackout period before the parachutes began deploying at 8:26 a.m., just moments before the splashdown at 8:30 a.m.
The reentry process subjected the Dragon capsule to peak temperatures of about 3,500 degrees on its heat shield. The capsule reached top speeds of 17,500 mph during its descent. Jessie Anderson, a SpaceX production and engineering manager, explained during the launch webcast, “Once it’s time for our crew to splash down back on Earth, they’ll be heading to one of seven targeted sites supported by SpaceX. All of these sites are located off the coast of Florida, either in the Gulf of Mexico or the Atlantic Ocean.” This strategic distribution of splashdown sites maximizes return opportunities and minimizes the chances of cancellation due to bad weather.
To ensure the safety of the astronauts and the recovery process, Coast Guard patrol boats were deployed to discourage boaters from entering the splashdown zones. The Ax-3 astronauts had spent approximately 21 days in space before boarding their Dragon capsule and undocking from the International Space Station on Wednesday morning.
The successful splashdown of the Axiom Space 3 astronauts marks another milestone in the advancement of space exploration. Their safe return to Earth is a testament to the incredible achievements of SpaceX and the dedication of the astronauts who ventured into the unknown. As they step back onto solid ground, their journey serves as an inspiration for future missions and the continued pursuit of scientific discovery beyond our planet.
