Axiom-2 Crew returns to Earth after 10 days in house

Following an 8-day keep aboard the Worldwide Area Station, the Axiom-2 crew made a fiery plunge again via Earth’s ambiance to a splashdown simply off the coast of Panama Metropolis, Florida, within the Gulf of Mexico.

This was the second flight of Crew Dragon Freedom, beforehand supporting the launch and touchdown of the Crew 4 mission.

About 12 hours after undocking from the Worldwide Area Station, Crew Dragon Freedom splashed down at 11:04 PM ET. SpaceX restoration ship was awaiting the crew, and shortly after touchdown, they have been disembarked and flown to Houston by way of helicopter.

The crew of Axiom 2 consisted of Commander Peggy Whitson, Pilot John Shoffner, Mission Specialist Ali Alqarni, and Mission Specialist Rayyanah Barnawi, and whereas aboard the orbiting outpost, they carried out many experiments starting from most cancers analysis, results of microgravity on stem cells, and the way the human physique responds to house journey.

Commander Peggy Whitson prolonged her report of time in house to 675 days, essentially the most of any American, beforehand flying for NASA earlier than retiring in 2018 after which becoming a member of Axiom as Director of Human Area Flight. The three different members of this mission every on their first flight to house, acquired their Astronaut Wings throughout the welcoming ceremony after arriving aboard the ISS.

Splashdown of Dragon confirmed – welcome again to Earth, @AstroPeggy, @JohnPShoffner, @AstroAli11, and @Astro_Rayyanah pic.twitter.com/2kXUO8FDlv

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) May 31, 2023

One other facet of this mission can be getting ready for Axiom to begin sending up their very own modules to connect to the Internation Area Station beginning no sooner than 2025. Axiom not too long ago took possession of the previous Area Shuttle Multi-Goal Logistics Module and can convert it to make use of as their analysis and manufacturing facility as soon as in orbit.

There might be as much as 4 modules despatched to be connected to the ISS, and as soon as the ISS is decommissioned, they’ll separate from the outpost and type their very own house station and will change into the primary privately owned house station.

Render of Axiom Station connected to the ISS (Credit score Axiom)

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Axiom-2 Crew returns to Earth after 10 days in house