‘The last time American astronauts returned from space with a splashdown in the ocean, there was no social media to cover it. One question on Sunday was whether spacewatchers in Florida would be close enough to see the capsule descend to the Gulf of Mexico near Pensacola.
The answer? So far, apparently not.
Except for those who were in the water onboard the official rescue vessels, watchers in Florida who saw the SpaceX Dragon float to the Gulf were watching on television.
It was an historic moment, wherever one watched.
Today's @SpaceX Dragon Endeavour splashdown marks the first crew recovery at sea for @NASA_Astronauts since 1975, the year of the final Apollo spacecraft mission. pic.twitter.com/awSOEepRp1
— NASA (@NASA) August 2, 2020
Some watched from the beaches and hoped. But they kept an eye on TV or the livestream on their phones.
People here at Johnson Beach in Pensacola are anxiously awaiting the SpaceX Dragon crew to splashdown in the gulf. @mynbc15 @weartv #spacexdragon #splashdown #pensacola pic.twitter.com/anoyoscb20
— Laura Barczewski (@LcBarczewski) August 2, 2020
Main chutes are out. #Demo2 pic.twitter.com/hx0ikEpuJQ
— Marcia Smith (@SpcPlcyOnline) August 2, 2020
We hear that splashdown was successful! Unfortunately we couldn’t see much from where we are. @weartv @mynbc15 #SpaceX pic.twitter.com/8fjfU98Lkp
— Laura Barczewski (@LcBarczewski) August 2, 2020
"Thanks for flying @SpaceX."
— NASA (@NASA) August 2, 2020
📍 Current Location: Planet Earth
A 2:48pm ET, @AstroBehnken and @Astro_Doug splashed down, marking the first splashdown of an American crew spacecraft in 45 years. #LaunchAmerica pic.twitter.com/zO3KlNwxU3
The crew of the Go Navigator were positioned to pick up the astronauts after the capsule landed in the Gulf of Mexico near Pensacala on the Florida panhandle.
Preparations are underway on the recovery vessel GO Navigator for the landing of @NASA astronauts @Astro_Doug and @AstroBehnken, the first crew to complete a mission to the @Space_Station aboard a spacecraft commercially built and operated by @SpaceX! 📷https://t.co/5x8PATizvy pic.twitter.com/cZQLgVP9My
— NASA HQ PHOTO (@nasahqphoto) August 2, 2020
Other boats in the area were warned to stay away from the landing zone, but some apparently tried to get a closer look.
The U.S. Coast Guard confirms they will not close any waterways, but a marine warning will go out 2-hours before the splash. - via @tv_leader https://t.co/58hm9qJe54
— WEAR ABC 3 (@weartv) August 2, 2020
Look at all the boats in the background. #SpaceX #Demo2
— Michael Baylor (@nextspaceflight) August 2, 2020
In better news, Dragon about to be onboard well ahead of schedule. pic.twitter.com/zmnbscpC3p
After a flawless flight, the recovery forces have made a serious security error. There are 10s of unauthorized boats near Endeavour right now.
— Thomas Burghardt (@TGMetsFan98) August 2, 2020
Under no circumstances should private vessels be this close to a NASA spacecraft, especially one carrying astronauts. #SpaceX #Demo2
Our recovery teams are making sure that there are no poisonous fumes around the capsule, both for the safety of @AstroBehnken and @Astro_Doug and the people recovering them from the water. #LaunchAmerica pic.twitter.com/iUZDb957Kl
— NASA (@NASA) August 2, 2020
bad news: didn’t see #SplashDown
— Hannah Mackenzie (@Hannahh_Mackk) August 2, 2020
good news: it’s still a gorgeous day on #Pensacola Beach pic.twitter.com/nANebPeMvH
SpaceX was watching closely.
Good splashdown of Dragon confirmed! Welcome back to Earth, @AstroBehnken and @Astro_Doug! pic.twitter.com/0vAS3CcK9P
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) August 2, 2020
Some TV watchers dressed up to watch.
Welcome home to the astronauts aboard the Dragon DM-2!#LaunchAmerica #SplashDown pic.twitter.com/Bp9V7rHIFC
— Randy Amyuni (@Mr_Spoilers) August 2, 2020
Former President Barack Obama was following the mission.
Welcome home, @AstroBehnken and @Astro_Doug! We launched the Commercial Crew program to strengthen our U.S. space program and it's been great to see its success. This historic NASA-SpaceX mission is a symbol of what American ingenuity and inventiveness can achieve. pic.twitter.com/vvOSopBUdP
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) August 2, 2020
The NASA boss sent a nice note. So did the folks at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. Even the U.S. Space Force was watching. The main complaint from the public? After brilliant and stunning photos from the mission in space, and even from inside the capsule during descent, the video of the parachute drop into the Gulf looked like it was taken through a tea strainer.
We have SPLASHDOWN! Welcome home @AstroBehnken and @Astro_Doug! #LaunchAmerica
— Jim Bridenstine (@JimBridenstine) August 2, 2020
Welcome aboard GO Navigator, @AstroBehnken and @Astro_Doug! pic.twitter.com/lNVpr4ZFR5
— NASA's Johnson Space Center (@NASA_Johnson) August 2, 2020
Welcome home @AstroBehnken & @Astro_Doug! What an incredible #Endeavor by so many to safely launch & recover two of our American heroes. https://t.co/WjNqbLwvqy
— Gen. Jay Raymond (@SpaceForceCSO) August 2, 2020
"Thanks for flying @SpaceX."
— NASA (@NASA) August 2, 2020
📍 Current Location: Planet Earth
A 2:48pm ET, @AstroBehnken and @Astro_Doug splashed down, marking the first splashdown of an American crew spacecraft in 45 years. #LaunchAmerica pic.twitter.com/zO3KlNwxU3
The local newspaper in Pensacola posted a Welcome message.
This is history! The four parachutes deployed. The capsule the landed in the Gulf near Pensacola. @AstroBehnken and @Astro_Doug will head to NAS Pensacola and then Houston. pic.twitter.com/KOcYvVh30Z
— Kimberly Wyatt (@tv_leader) August 2, 2020
The Penscola tourism agency had a question for the crew, NASA and SpaceX.
Hey, @NASA @SpaceX @elonmusk will this #SpaceXDragon capsule be donated to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum @airandspace by chance?!? #NASA #SpaceX #AmericanSpaceFlight
— 🐬 Pensacola, FL 🦈 (@PensacolaFL850) August 2, 2020
Absolutely stunning beach conditions today in Pensacola Beach, FL - ahead of the SpaceX & NASA splashdown! 🇺🇸 🚀 pic.twitter.com/BO1wuZH3AM
— Jennifer Lambers (@jlamberswx) August 2, 2020
@NASASpaceflight I can vouch for the perfect conditions from the beach on Perdido Key! pic.twitter.com/3RtEn3EE2o
— Mark Ott (@ottmark) August 2, 2020
It occurs to me that with them splashing down in the Gulf of Mexico near Florida beaches like Pensacola and Panama City, this could be a real possibility https://t.co/uh2lQBjPZ0
— Tracy Haas (@thracer) August 1, 2020
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