The capsule from the first tourist flight by space company SpaceX has returned to Earth. The Inspiration4 with four occupants splashed into the Atlantic Ocean around 1 a.m. Dutch time off the coast of Florida.
At around midnight, the Resilience pod was turned toward Earth with thrusters. An hour later, the landing was initiated, with the outside of the capsule heated to 2000 degrees Celsius due to the friction with the atmosphere. The parachutes opened at a height of more than 5 kilometers to slow down the capsule.
At 1:07 a.m. live images showed how the Resilience ended up in the water for the splashdown. The crew was then welcomed back to Earth via a radio link. “It was the ride for me,” said billionaire Jared Isaacman, who had paid for the spaceflight.
Less than an hour later, the floating capsule was hoisted onto a ship and the crew was able to disembark. Isaacman was the last occupant to leave Resilience a little shaky but enthusiastic.
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