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Four astronauts return after 237 days
Crew-12 splashed down off California after nearly eight months aboard the International Space Station.
What happened
NASA and SpaceX’s Crew-12 returned from the International Space Station when Dragon Freedom splashed down in the Pacific off California. Jessica Meir, Jack Hathaway, Sophie Adenot and Andrey Fedyaev completed a mission involving research, maintenance and spacewalks. Crew-13 had arrived before their departure.
Numbers
- 4Astronauts returned aboard Dragon Freedom
- 237 daysLength of the orbital mission
- 3,792 orbitsEarth circuits completed during mission
Questions
- Why did Crew-12 reach station early?
- Crew-12 replaced Crew-11 after its commander, Mike Fincke, became ill, prompting the first medical evacuation in human spaceflight.
- How did Dragon Freedom return safely?
- The capsule fired thrusters to leave orbit, crossed the atmosphere, then deployed parachutes for its Pacific splashdown.
- Why was the homecoming delayed?
- Crew-13 arrived three weeks late because of capsule repairs, delaying the returning crew’s departure from the station.
- What research did the mission include?
- The crew conducted research involving cancer and bacteria, alongside station maintenance and several spacewalks during their orbital stay.
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The catch
Coverage lists research areas but gives no verified results from the mission.