Splashdown: Difference between revisions
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
imported>SpaceHist65 fixed one permanent dead link citation |
imported>SpaceHist65 dead link fix |
||
| (2 intermediate revisions by 2 users not shown) | |||
| Line 7: | Line 7: | ||
[[Image:Splashdown 2.png|thumb|Locations of [[Pacific Ocean]] splashdowns of American spacecraft]] | [[Image:Splashdown 2.png|thumb|Locations of [[Pacific Ocean]] splashdowns of American spacecraft]] | ||
'''Splashdown''' is the method of landing a [[spacecraft]] or [[launch vehicle]] in a body of water, usually by [[parachute]]. This has been the primary recovery method of American capsules including | '''Splashdown''' is the method of landing a [[spacecraft]] or [[launch vehicle]] in a body of water, usually by [[parachute]]. This has been the primary recovery method of American capsules including NASA's [[Project Mercury|Mercury]], [[Project Gemini|Gemini]], [[Apollo program|Apollo]] and [[Orion (spacecraft)|Orion]] along with the private [[SpaceX Dragon]]. It is also possible for the [[Boeing Starliner]], Russian [[Soyuz spacecraft|Soyuz]], and the Chinese [[Shenzhou (spacecraft)|Shenzhou]] crewed capsules to land in water in case of contingency. [[NASA]] recovered the [[Space Shuttle]] [[Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Booster|solid rocket boosters]] (SRBs) via splashdown, as is done for [[Rocket Lab|Rocket Lab's]] [[Electron (rocket)|Electron]] first stage. | ||
As the name suggests, the vehicle [[parachute]]s into an [[ocean]] or other large body of water. Due to its low density and viscosity, water cushions the spacecraft enough that there is no need for a [[braking rocket]] to slow the final descent as is the case with Russian and Chinese crewed space capsules or [[Airbag#Spacecraft airbag landing systems|airbags]] as is the case with the [[Boeing Starliner|Starliner]].<ref name="Prof Tous">{{cite web |last1=Tous |first1=Marcos |title=The science behind splashdown—aerospace engineer explains how NASA and SpaceX get spacecraft safely back |date = 28 June 2024|url=https://theconversation.com/the-science-behind-splashdown-an-aerospace-engineer-explains-how-nasa-and-spacex-get-spacecraft-safely-back-on-earth-232786 |website=The Conversation |access-date=27 November 2024}}</ref> | As the name suggests, the vehicle [[parachute]]s into an [[ocean]] or other large body of water. Due to its low density and viscosity, water cushions the spacecraft enough that there is no need for a [[braking rocket]] to slow the final descent as is the case with Russian and Chinese crewed space capsules or [[Airbag#Spacecraft airbag landing systems|airbags]] as is the case with the [[Boeing Starliner|Starliner]].<ref name="Prof Tous">{{cite web |last1=Tous |first1=Marcos |title=The science behind splashdown—aerospace engineer explains how NASA and SpaceX get spacecraft safely back |date = 28 June 2024|url=https://theconversation.com/the-science-behind-splashdown-an-aerospace-engineer-explains-how-nasa-and-spacex-get-spacecraft-safely-back-on-earth-232786 |website=The Conversation |access-date=27 November 2024}}</ref> | ||
| Line 15: | Line 15: | ||
==History== | ==History== | ||
[[File:Apollo14 - Landung.jpg|thumb|left|[[Apollo 14]] returns to Earth, 1971.]] | [[File:Apollo14 - Landung.jpg|thumb|left|[[Apollo 14]] returns to Earth, 1971.]] | ||
The splashdown method of landing was used for [[Mercury program|Mercury]], [[Gemini program|Gemini]] and [[Apollo program|Apollo]] (including [[Skylab]], which used Apollo capsules). [[Soyuz 23]] unintentionally landed on a freezing lake with slushy patches of ice during a snowstorm.<ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/m4pD1L7hedA Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20200516214113/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4pD1L7hedA&attr_tag=BUqbSjTAJRrN1ykS%3A6 Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4pD1L7hedA|title=The Accidental Spacecraft Splashdown Which Almost Killed Its Crew|via=www.youtube.com}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.videocosmos.com/soyuz23.shtm |title=Soyuz-23, Lands On A Frozen Lake |publisher=VideoCosmos |access-date=2012-06-21 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120414220743/http://www.videocosmos.com/soyuz23.shtm |archive-date=2012-04-14 }}</ref> | The splashdown method of landing was used for [[Mercury program|Mercury]], [[Gemini program|Gemini]] and [[Apollo program|Apollo]] (including [[Skylab]], which used Apollo capsules). [[Soyuz 23]] unintentionally landed on a freezing lake with slushy patches of ice during a snowstorm.<ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/m4pD1L7hedA Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20200516214113/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4pD1L7hedA&attr_tag=BUqbSjTAJRrN1ykS%3A6 Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4pD1L7hedA|title=The Accidental Spacecraft Splashdown Which Almost Killed Its Crew|date=May 16, 2020 |via=www.youtube.com}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.videocosmos.com/soyuz23.shtm |title=Soyuz-23, Lands On A Frozen Lake |publisher=VideoCosmos |access-date=2012-06-21 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120414220743/http://www.videocosmos.com/soyuz23.shtm |archive-date=2012-04-14 }}</ref> | ||
On early Mercury flights, a helicopter attached a cable to the capsule, lifted it from the water and delivered it to a nearby ship. This was changed after the sinking of ''[[Liberty Bell 7]]''. All later Mercury, Gemini and Apollo capsules had a flotation collar (similar to a rubber life raft) attached to the spacecraft to increase their buoyancy. The spacecraft would then be brought alongside a ship and lifted onto deck by crane. | On early Mercury flights, a helicopter attached a cable to the capsule, lifted it from the water and delivered it to a nearby ship. This was changed after the sinking of ''[[Liberty Bell 7]]''. All later Mercury, Gemini and Apollo capsules had a flotation collar (similar to a rubber life raft) attached to the spacecraft to increase their buoyancy. The spacecraft would then be brought alongside a ship and lifted onto deck by crane. | ||
| Line 21: | Line 21: | ||
After the flotation collar is attached, a hatch on the spacecraft is usually opened. At that time, some astronauts decide to be hoisted aboard a helicopter for a ride to the recovery ship and some decided to stay with the spacecraft and be lifted aboard ship via crane. All Gemini and Apollo flights (Apollos 7 to 17) used the former, while Mercury missions from Mercury 6 to Mercury 9, as well as all Skylab missions and Apollo-Soyuz used the latter, especially the Skylab flights as to preserve all medical data. During the Gemini and Apollo programs, NASA used {{MV|Retriever}} for the astronauts to practice water egress. | After the flotation collar is attached, a hatch on the spacecraft is usually opened. At that time, some astronauts decide to be hoisted aboard a helicopter for a ride to the recovery ship and some decided to stay with the spacecraft and be lifted aboard ship via crane. All Gemini and Apollo flights (Apollos 7 to 17) used the former, while Mercury missions from Mercury 6 to Mercury 9, as well as all Skylab missions and Apollo-Soyuz used the latter, especially the Skylab flights as to preserve all medical data. During the Gemini and Apollo programs, NASA used {{MV|Retriever}} for the astronauts to practice water egress. | ||
[[Apollo 11]] was America's first Moon landing mission and marked the first time that humans walked on the surface of another planetary body. The possibility of the astronauts bringing [[pathogen | [[Apollo 11]] was America's first Moon landing mission and marked the first time that humans walked on the surface of another planetary body. The possibility of the astronauts bringing [[pathogen]]s from the Moon back to Earth was remote, but not ruled out. To contain any possible contaminants at the scene of the splashdown, the astronauts donned special Biological Isolation Garments and the outside of the suits were scrubbed prior to the astronauts being hoisted aboard {{USS|Hornet|CV-12|6}} and escorted safely inside a [[Mobile Quarantine Facility]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.uss-hornet.org/history/apollo/ |title=Apollo 11 & 12 Recovery |author=Bob Fish |publisher=USS Hornet Museum's website}}</ref> | ||
[[File:SpaceX CRS 25 Splashdown (1920x1080).webm|thumb|261x261px|The splashdown of the SpaceX CRS-25 resupply mission]] | [[File:SpaceX CRS 25 Splashdown (1920x1080).webm|thumb|261x261px|The splashdown of the SpaceX CRS-25 resupply mission]] | ||
Both the [[SpaceX Dragon 1]] and [[SpaceX Dragon 2|Dragon 2]] capsules were designed to use the splashdown method of landing.{{efn|Dragon 2 was originally intended to propulsively land using its [[SuperDraco]] engines, but this was abandoned except for contingency in case of parachute failure.<ref>{{cite web |last1=McRea |first1=Aaron |title=Dragon receives long-planned propulsive landing upgrade after years of development |url=https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2024/10/dragon-propulsive-landing/ |website=Nasa Spaceflight |access-date=11 November 2024}}</ref>}} The original cargo Dragon splashed down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of [[Baja California]]. At the request of NASA, both the crew and cargo variations of the Dragon 2 capsule splash down off the coast of [[Florida]], either in the [[Atlantic Ocean]] or the [[Gulf of Mexico]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://spaceflightnow.com/2021/01/12/cargo-dragon-heads-for-splashdown-off-floridas-west-coast/|title=Cargo Dragon heads for splashdown off Florida's west coast|publisher=Spaceflight Now|first=Stephen|last=Clark|date=12 January 2021|access-date=14 January 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://oig.nasa.gov/docs/IG-18-016.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://oig.nasa.gov/docs/IG-18-016.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live|title=AUDIT OF COMMERCIAL RESUPPLY SERVICES TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION}}</ref> | Both the [[SpaceX Dragon 1]] and [[SpaceX Dragon 2|Dragon 2]] capsules were designed to use the splashdown method of landing.{{efn|Dragon 2 was originally intended to propulsively land using its [[SuperDraco]] engines, but this was abandoned except for contingency in case of parachute failure.<ref>{{cite web |last1=McRea |first1=Aaron |title=Dragon receives long-planned propulsive landing upgrade after years of development |url=https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2024/10/dragon-propulsive-landing/ |website=Nasa Spaceflight |date=October 10, 2024 |access-date=11 November 2024}}</ref>}} The original cargo Dragon splashed down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of [[Baja California]]. At the request of NASA, both the crew and cargo variations of the Dragon 2 capsule splash down off the coast of [[Florida]], either in the [[Atlantic Ocean]] or the [[Gulf of Mexico]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://spaceflightnow.com/2021/01/12/cargo-dragon-heads-for-splashdown-off-floridas-west-coast/|title=Cargo Dragon heads for splashdown off Florida's west coast|publisher=Spaceflight Now|first=Stephen|last=Clark|date=12 January 2021|access-date=14 January 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://oig.nasa.gov/docs/IG-18-016.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://oig.nasa.gov/docs/IG-18-016.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live|title=AUDIT OF COMMERCIAL RESUPPLY SERVICES TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION}}</ref> | ||
The early design concept for [[Orion (spacecraft)|Orion]] (then known as the [[Crew Exploration Vehicle]]) featured recovery on land using a combination of parachutes and airbags, although it was also designed to make a contingency splashdown if needed. Due to weight considerations, the airbag design concept was dropped for Orion, and it conducts landings via splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/news/display.cfm?News_ID=37403 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110703185450/http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/news/display.cfm?News_ID=37403 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2011-07-03 |title=Solar System Exploration: News & Events: News Archive: NASA Announces Key Decision For Next Deep Space Transportation System |publisher=Solarsystem.nasa.gov |date=2011-05-24 |access-date=2012-06-21}}</ref> | The early design concept for [[Orion (spacecraft)|Orion]] (then known as the [[Crew Exploration Vehicle]]) featured recovery on land using a combination of parachutes and airbags, although it was also designed to make a contingency splashdown if needed. Due to weight considerations, the airbag design concept was dropped for Orion, and it conducts landings via splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/news/display.cfm?News_ID=37403 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110703185450/http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/news/display.cfm?News_ID=37403 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2011-07-03 |title=Solar System Exploration: News & Events: News Archive: NASA Announces Key Decision For Next Deep Space Transportation System |publisher=Solarsystem.nasa.gov |date=2011-05-24 |access-date=2012-06-21}}</ref> | ||
==Disadvantages== | ==Disadvantages== | ||
Perhaps the most dangerous aspect is the possibility of the spacecraft flooding and sinking. For example, when the hatch of [[Gus Grissom]]'s ''[[Mercury-Redstone 4|Liberty Bell 7]]'' capsule blew prematurely, the capsule sank and Grissom almost drowned. Since the spacecraft's flooding will occur from a location in its hull where it ruptures first, it is important to determine the location on the hull that experiences the highest loading.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Jain|first=U.|display-authors=et al.|journal=Journal of Fluid Mechanics|date=2021|volume=938|issue=4|title=Air entrapment and its effect on pressure impulses in the slamming of a flat disc on water | | Perhaps the most dangerous aspect is the possibility of the spacecraft flooding and sinking. For example, when the hatch of [[Gus Grissom]]'s ''[[Mercury-Redstone 4|Liberty Bell 7]]'' capsule blew prematurely, the capsule sank and Grissom almost drowned. Since the spacecraft's flooding will occur from a location in its hull where it ruptures first, it is important to determine the location on the hull that experiences the highest loading.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Jain|first=U.|display-authors=et al.|journal=Journal of Fluid Mechanics|date=2021|volume=938|issue=4|title=Air entrapment and its effect on pressure impulses in the slamming of a flat disc on water |article-number= A31 |doi=10.1017/jfm.2021.846| arxiv=2012.10137|bibcode=2021JFM...928A..31J }}</ref> This location along the impacting side is determined by the surrounding 'air cushion' layer, which deforms the water surface before the moment of impact, and results in a non-trivial geometry of the liquid surface during first touch-down.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Jain|first=U.|display-authors=et al.|journal=Physical Review Fluids|date=2021|volume=6|issue=4|title=Air-cushioning effect and Kelvin-Helmholtz instability before the slamming of a disk on water |article-number= L042001 |doi=10.1103/PhysRevFluids.6.L042001|arxiv= 2106.09551|bibcode=2021PhRvF...6d2001J }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last=Verhagen|first=J.H.G|journal= Journal of Ship Research|year=1967|title=The Impact of a Flat Plate on a Water Surface|volume=11 |issue=4 |pages=211–223 |doi=10.5957/jsr.1967.11.4.211 |url=https://archive.org/details/Verhagen1967}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last= Asryan |first=N.G.|journal= Izv. Akad. Nauk Arm. SSR Mekh|date=1972|title=Solid plate impact on surface of incompressible fluid in the presence of a gas layer between them|url=https://archive.org/details/Asrian1972_201803}}</ref> [[Soyuz 23]] was dragged under a frozen lake by its parachutes. The crew became incapacitated by [[carbon dioxide]] and were rescued after a nine-hour recovery operation.<ref name="NASA CO2">{{cite web |title=Carbon Dioxide (CO2) OCHMO-TB-004 Rev C |url=https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/ochmo-tb-004-carbon-dioxide.pdf |website=NASA |access-date=27 November 2024}}</ref> | ||
If the capsule comes down far from any recovery forces, the crew may be stranded at sea for an extended period of time. As an example, Scott Carpenter in ''[[Mercury-Atlas 7|Aurora 7]]'' overshot the assigned landing zone by {{convert|400|km|sp=us}}. These recovery operation mishaps can be mitigated by placing several vessels on standby in different locations, but this can be an expensive option. | If the capsule comes down far from any recovery forces, the crew may be stranded at sea for an extended period of time. As an example, Scott Carpenter in ''[[Mercury-Atlas 7|Aurora 7]]'' overshot the assigned landing zone by {{convert|400|km|sp=us}}. These recovery operation mishaps can be mitigated by placing several vessels on standby in different locations, but this can be an expensive option. | ||
Exposure to salt water can have adverse effects on vehicles intended for reuse, such as [[SpaceX Dragon|Dragon]].<ref name="NASA Reusable Rocket">{{cite web |work = NASA| | Exposure to salt water can have adverse effects on vehicles intended for reuse, such as [[SpaceX Dragon|Dragon]].<ref name="NASA Reusable Rocket">{{cite web |work = NASA|pages=4–5|title=A FRAMEWORK FOR ASSESSING THE REUSABILITY OF HARDWARE (REUSABLE ROCKET ENGINES |url=https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20170000606/downloads/20170000606.pdf |access-date=11 November 2024}}</ref> | ||
==Launch vehicles== | ==Launch vehicles== | ||
| Line 395: | Line 395: | ||
|''[[Shannon (ship)|Shannon]]'' | |''[[Shannon (ship)|Shannon]]'' | ||
| | | | ||
|<ref>{{Cite web |author=Jackie Wattles |title=SpaceX's wildly busy year continues with astronaut splashdown |url=https://www.cnn.com/2022/05/06/tech/spacex-crew-3-nasa-splashdown-scn/index.html |access-date=2022-05-06 |website=CNN}}</ref> | |<ref>{{Cite web |author=Jackie Wattles |title=SpaceX's wildly busy year continues with astronaut splashdown |url=https://www.cnn.com/2022/05/06/tech/spacex-crew-3-nasa-splashdown-scn/index.html |access-date=2022-05-06 |website=CNN|date=May 6, 2022 }}</ref> | ||
|- | |- | ||
|37 | |37 | ||
| Line 464: | Line 464: | ||
| {{convert|319|km|mi|abbr=on}} SE Wallops Island, Virginia | | {{convert|319|km|mi|abbr=on}} SE Wallops Island, Virginia | ||
| {{USS|Borie|DD-704|6}} | | {{USS|Borie|DD-704|6}} | ||
| ? km<ref>{{cite news |url=https:// | | ? km<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-buffalo-news-monkey-sent-aloft-to-te/183220677/|title=Monkey Sent Aloft to Test Equipment for U.S. Astronauts |newspaper=The Buffalo News |location=Buffalo, New York |date=December 4, 1959 |access-date=October 18, 2025 |via=newspapers.com}}</ref> | ||
|- | |- | ||
| [[Mercury-Redstone 1A]] | | [[Mercury-Redstone 1A]] | ||
| Line 478: | Line 478: | ||
| {{convert|675.9|km|mi|abbr=on}} SE Cape Canaveral | | {{convert|675.9|km|mi|abbr=on}} SE Cape Canaveral | ||
| {{USS|Donner|LSD-20|6}}<ref name="homestead1">{{cite web|url=http://www.homestead.com/USSDONNERLSD20/index.html |title=USS Donner LSD20 |publisher=Homestead.com |access-date=2012-06-21}}</ref> | | {{USS|Donner|LSD-20|6}}<ref name="homestead1">{{cite web|url=http://www.homestead.com/USSDONNERLSD20/index.html |title=USS Donner LSD20 |publisher=Homestead.com |access-date=2012-06-21}}</ref> | ||
| {{convert|209.2|km|mi|abbr=on}}<ref>{{cite news |url=https:// | | {{convert|209.2|km|mi|abbr=on}}<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-journal-herald-chimp-survives-space/183220382/ |title=Chimp Survives Space Shot |newspaper=The Journal Herald |date=February 1, 1961 |access-date=October 18, 2025 |via=newspapers.com}}</ref> | ||
|- | |- | ||
| [[Mercury-Atlas 2]] | | [[Mercury-Atlas 2]] | ||
| Line 647: | Line 647: | ||
| Pacific Ocean, west of [[Baja California]] | | Pacific Ocean, west of [[Baja California]] | ||
| [[USS Portland (LPD-27)|USS ''Portland'']] | | [[USS Portland (LPD-27)|USS ''Portland'']] | ||
| 4 [[Nautical Miles | nm]] | | 4 [[Nautical Miles|nm]] | ||
| | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
| Line 697: | Line 697: | ||
==Notes== | ==Notes== | ||
{{notelist}} | {{notelist}} | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
{{Reflist|30em}} | {{Reflist|30em}} | ||
Latest revision as of 14:40, 18 October 2025
Template:Short description Template:For-multi Template:Use mdy dates Template:Use American English
Splashdown is the method of landing a spacecraft or launch vehicle in a body of water, usually by parachute. This has been the primary recovery method of American capsules including NASA's Mercury, Gemini, Apollo and Orion along with the private SpaceX Dragon. It is also possible for the Boeing Starliner, Russian Soyuz, and the Chinese Shenzhou crewed capsules to land in water in case of contingency. NASA recovered the Space Shuttle solid rocket boosters (SRBs) via splashdown, as is done for Rocket Lab's Electron first stage.
As the name suggests, the vehicle parachutes into an ocean or other large body of water. Due to its low density and viscosity, water cushions the spacecraft enough that there is no need for a braking rocket to slow the final descent as is the case with Russian and Chinese crewed space capsules or airbags as is the case with the Starliner.[1]
The American practice came in part because American launch sites are on the coastline and launch primarily over water.[2] Russian launch sites such as Baikonur Cosmodrome are far inland, and most early launch aborts would descend on land.
History
The splashdown method of landing was used for Mercury, Gemini and Apollo (including Skylab, which used Apollo capsules). Soyuz 23 unintentionally landed on a freezing lake with slushy patches of ice during a snowstorm.[3][4]
On early Mercury flights, a helicopter attached a cable to the capsule, lifted it from the water and delivered it to a nearby ship. This was changed after the sinking of Liberty Bell 7. All later Mercury, Gemini and Apollo capsules had a flotation collar (similar to a rubber life raft) attached to the spacecraft to increase their buoyancy. The spacecraft would then be brought alongside a ship and lifted onto deck by crane.
After the flotation collar is attached, a hatch on the spacecraft is usually opened. At that time, some astronauts decide to be hoisted aboard a helicopter for a ride to the recovery ship and some decided to stay with the spacecraft and be lifted aboard ship via crane. All Gemini and Apollo flights (Apollos 7 to 17) used the former, while Mercury missions from Mercury 6 to Mercury 9, as well as all Skylab missions and Apollo-Soyuz used the latter, especially the Skylab flights as to preserve all medical data. During the Gemini and Apollo programs, NASA used Template:MV for the astronauts to practice water egress.
Apollo 11 was America's first Moon landing mission and marked the first time that humans walked on the surface of another planetary body. The possibility of the astronauts bringing pathogens from the Moon back to Earth was remote, but not ruled out. To contain any possible contaminants at the scene of the splashdown, the astronauts donned special Biological Isolation Garments and the outside of the suits were scrubbed prior to the astronauts being hoisted aboard Template:USS and escorted safely inside a Mobile Quarantine Facility.[5]
Both the SpaceX Dragon 1 and Dragon 2 capsules were designed to use the splashdown method of landing.Template:Efn The original cargo Dragon splashed down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Baja California. At the request of NASA, both the crew and cargo variations of the Dragon 2 capsule splash down off the coast of Florida, either in the Atlantic Ocean or the Gulf of Mexico.[6][7]
The early design concept for Orion (then known as the Crew Exploration Vehicle) featured recovery on land using a combination of parachutes and airbags, although it was also designed to make a contingency splashdown if needed. Due to weight considerations, the airbag design concept was dropped for Orion, and it conducts landings via splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California.[8]
Disadvantages
Perhaps the most dangerous aspect is the possibility of the spacecraft flooding and sinking. For example, when the hatch of Gus Grissom's Liberty Bell 7 capsule blew prematurely, the capsule sank and Grissom almost drowned. Since the spacecraft's flooding will occur from a location in its hull where it ruptures first, it is important to determine the location on the hull that experiences the highest loading.[9] This location along the impacting side is determined by the surrounding 'air cushion' layer, which deforms the water surface before the moment of impact, and results in a non-trivial geometry of the liquid surface during first touch-down.[10][11][12] Soyuz 23 was dragged under a frozen lake by its parachutes. The crew became incapacitated by carbon dioxide and were rescued after a nine-hour recovery operation.[13]
If the capsule comes down far from any recovery forces, the crew may be stranded at sea for an extended period of time. As an example, Scott Carpenter in Aurora 7 overshot the assigned landing zone by Template:Convert. These recovery operation mishaps can be mitigated by placing several vessels on standby in different locations, but this can be an expensive option.
Exposure to salt water can have adverse effects on vehicles intended for reuse, such as Dragon.[14]
Launch vehicles
Some reusable launch vehicles recover components via splashdown. This was first seen with the Space Shuttle SRBs, with STS-1 launching in 1981. Out of 135 launches, NASA recovered all but two sets of SRBs.[15]
SpaceX has conducted propulsive splashdowns of the Falcon 9 first stage, Super Heavy booster, and Starship spacecraft. These vehicles are designed to land on land or modified barges and do not always survive intact after tipping over in the water; SpaceX has mainly conducted propulsive splashdowns for development flights. After the launch of CRS-16, the booster experienced a control issue and splashed down in the ocean instead of making an intended landing at Landing Zone 1.[16]
Rocket Lab intended to catch the first stage of their Electron rocket with a helicopter as it descended under parachute, but abandoned this idea in favor of parachute splashdown. In 2020, Rocket Lab made their first booster recovery.[17]
List of spacecraft splashdowns
Crewed spacecraft
Uncrewed spacecraft
| Spacecraft | Agency | Landing date | Coordinates | Recovery ship | Miss distance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jupiter AM-18 (Able and Baker) |
USAF | May 28, 1959 | Template:Convert N Antigua Island | Template:USS | Template:Convert[63] | |
| Mercury-Big Joe | NASA | September 9, 1959 | Template:Convert SE Cape Canaveral | Template:USS | Template:Convert[64] | |
| Mercury-Little Joe 2
Sam The Rhesus Monkey |
NASA | December 4, 1959 | Template:Convert SE Wallops Island, Virginia | Template:USS | ? km[65] | |
| Mercury-Redstone 1A | NASA | December 19, 1960 | Template:Convert SE Cape Canaveral | Template:USS | Template:Convert[66] | |
| Mercury-Redstone 2 | NASA | January 31, 1961 | Template:Convert SE Cape Canaveral | Template:USS[67] | Template:Convert[68] | |
| Mercury-Atlas 2 | NASA | February 21, 1961 | Template:Convert SE Cape Canaveral | USS Donner[67] | Template:Convert[69] | |
| Discoverer 25 (Corona 9017) |
USAF | June 16, 1961 | mid-air recovery missed | |||
| Mercury-Atlas 4 | NASA | September 13, 1961 | Template:Convert E of Bermuda | Template:USS | Template:Convert[70] | |
| Mercury-Atlas 5 | NASA | November 29, 1961 | Template:Convert SE of Bermuda | Template:USS | ? km[71] | |
| Gemini 2 | NASA | January 19, 1965 | Template:Coord Template:Convert downrange from KSC | USS Lake Champlain | Template:Convert[72] | |
| AS-201 | NASA | February 26, 1966 | Template:Coord Template:Convert downrange from KSC | USS Boxer | ? km[73] | |
| AS-202 | NASA | August 25, 1966 | Template:Coord Template:Convert southwest of Wake Island | USS Hornet | ? km[73] | |
| Gemini 2-MOL | USAF | November 3, 1966 | Template:Convert SE KSC near Ascension Island | Template:USS | Template:Convert[74] | |
| Apollo 4 | NASA | November 9, 1967 | Template:Coord | Template:USS | Template:Convert[73] | |
| Apollo 6 | NASA | April 4, 1968 | Template:Coord | USS Okinawa | ? km[73] | |
| Zond 5 | USSR | September 21, 1968 | Template:Coord | USSR recovery naval vessel Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". and Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | Template:Convert[75][76] | |
| Zond 8 | USSR | October 27, 1970 | Template:Convert SE of the Chagos Archipelago, Indian Ocean | USSR recovery ship Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | 24 km[77][78] | |
| Cosmos 1374 | USSR | June 4, 1982 | Template:Coord Template:Convert S of Cocos Islands, Indian Ocean | USSR recovery ship | ? km | |
| Cosmos 1445 | USSR | March 15, 1983 | Template:Convert S of Cocos Islands, Indian Ocean | USSR recovery ship | ? km | |
| Cosmos 1517 | USSR | December 27, 1983 | near Crimea, Black Sea | USSR recovery ship | ? km | |
| Cosmos 1614 | USSR | December 19, 1984 | ? km W of the Crimea, Black Sea | USSR recovery ship | ? km | |
| COTS Demo Flight 1 | SpaceX | December 8, 2010 | Template:Convert west of Baja California, Mexico, Pacific Ocean | ? | Template:Convert[79] | |
| Dragon C2+ | SpaceX | May 31, 2012 | Template:Coord | ? | ?[80] | |
| CRS SpX-1 | SpaceX | October 28, 2012 | ? | American Islander[81] | ?[82] | |
| CRS SpX-2 | SpaceX | March 27, 2013 | ? | American Islander | ?[83] | |
| Exploration Flight Test 1 | NASA | December 5, 2014 | Template:Coord, Template:Convert west of Baja California | Template:USS | ||
| Crew Dragon Demo-1 | SpaceX | March 8, 2019 | In the Gulf of Mexico, off the coast of Pensacola, Florida | GO Searcher | ||
| SpaceX CRS-21 | SpaceX | January 14, 2020 | In the Gulf of Mexico, off the coast of Tampa, Florida | GO Navigator | ||
| Artemis I | NASA | December 11, 2022 | Pacific Ocean, west of Baja California | USS Portland | 4 nm | |
| IFT-4 | SpaceX | June 6, 2024 | Indian Ocean | |||
| IFT-5 | SpaceX | October 13, 2024 | Indian Ocean | |||
| IFT-6 | SpaceX | November 19, 2024 | Indian Ocean |
Gallery
-
The Apollo 15 spacecraft splashed down safely despite a parachute failure. (NASA)
-
Apollo 15 splashdown (NASA)
-
Apollo 11 after splashdown (NASA)
-
Apollo 13 hoisted onto ship (NASA)
-
Gemini water egress training
-
Recovery of the Dragon C2+ on May 31, 2012
-
Recovery of the EFT-1 Orion, December 5, 2014
-
Landing of SpaceX Demo-2, 2 August 2020
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
_-_Day_3_(KSC-20230727-PH_KAA02-0017).jpg){kind=link}
See also
Template:GeoGroup Script error: No such module "Portal".
- Apollo program
- Apollo–Soyuz Test Project
- Helicopter 66
- Project Gemini
- Project Mercury
- Skylab
- SpaceX Dragon 1
- SpaceX Dragon 2
- Water landing
- Zond program
Notes
References
Bibliography
- Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
External links
Script error: No such module "Navbox".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Archived at GhostarchiveTemplate:Cbignore and the Wayback MachineTemplate:Cbignore: Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".Template:Cbignore
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Ezell (1988) p. 143
- ↑ Ezell (1988) p. 144
- ↑ Ezell, Volume II, p. 145
- ↑ Ezell, Volume II, p. 146
- ↑ Ezell, Volume II, p. 147
- ↑ Ezell, Volume II, p. 148
- ↑ Ezell, Volume II, p. 159
- ↑ Ezell, Volume II, p. 160
- ↑ Ezell, Volume II, p. 161
- ↑ Ezell, Volume II, p. 162
- ↑ Ezell, Volume II, p. 163
- ↑ Ezell, Volume II, p. 164
- ↑ Ezell, Volume II, p. 165
- ↑ Ezell, Volume II, p. 166
- ↑ Ezell, Volume II, p. 167
- ↑ Ezell, Volume II, p. 168
- ↑ Ezell, Volume II, p. 188
- ↑ Ezell, Volume II, p. 189
- ↑ Ezell, Volume III, p. 83
- ↑ Orloff, p. 58
- ↑ Ezell, Volume III, p. 84
- ↑ Orloff, p. 78
- ↑ Ezell, Volume III, p. 85
- ↑ Orloff, p. 98
- ↑ Ezell, Volume III, p. 86
- ↑ Orloff, p. 120
- ↑ Ezell, Volume III, p. 87
- ↑ Orloff, p. 143
- ↑ Ezell, Volume III, p. 88
- ↑ Orloff, p. 168
- ↑ Ezell, Volume III, p. 89
- ↑ Orloff, p. 197
- ↑ Ezell, Volume III, p. 91
- ↑ Orloff, p. 225
- ↑ Ezell, Volume III, p. 92
- ↑ Orloff, p. 251
- ↑ Ezell, Volume III, p. 104
- ↑ a b Ezell, Volume III, p. 105
- ↑ Ezell, Volume III, p. 112
- ↑ "ASTP Apollo Miss Distance", ASTP Summary Science Report - Mission Description p. 36, Template:Webarchive
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ "Gemini 2 Distance traveled, Landing Point, Miss Distance", Manned Space Flight Network Performance Analysis for the GT-2 Mission; Pg V - Distance traveled, Page 21 - Landing Point, Miss Distance, (NASA X-552-65-204)
- ↑ a b c d Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ "Zond 5, Landing Point, Miss Distance" Template:Webarchive, NASA Solar System Exploration - Zond 5, Landing Point, Miss Distance.
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ "Zond 8, Landing Point" Template:Webarchive, NASA Solar System Exploration - Zond 8, Splashdown area.
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".