Crew Dragon Endeavour Completes Record 235-Day Mission, Splashes Down Safely in Gulf of Mexico

Washington, D.C. — SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft, Endeavour, safely returned to Earth early on October 25 after a record-breaking 235-day mission to the International Space Station (ISS). The spacecraft, operated by SpaceX, splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico near Pensacola, Florida, at precisely 3:29 a.m. Eastern, marking the successful conclusion of the Crew-8 mission.

Credit: NASa/Joel Kowsky

 

The Crew-8 mission, led by NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, Jeanette Epps, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin, saw the crew spending 232 of their 235 days aboard the ISS, making it the longest flight to date by an American crewed spacecraft. The mission faced an extended stay due to delays in the launch of Crew-9, providing NASA additional time to evaluate a separate test flight of Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft.

After splashdown, all four crew members were transported to a nearby medical facility for further evaluation. While NASA didn’t provide specific details, the agency noted that, “out of an abundance of caution,” the crew was taken together to ensure all health assessments were thorough. In a post-splashdown briefing, NASA confirmed the crew was in good health.

This historic mission not only set duration records but also involved intricate scheduling and logistics to accommodate ongoing crew rotations. With Crew-9 launching on September 28, NASA had arranged an “extended handover” on the ISS, which allowed time to reconfigure seating and prepare for a safe transition. The return of Endeavour, however, was delayed by nearly three weeks due to Hurricane Milton and persistent high-pressure systems creating unfavorable splashdown conditions. “In this timeframe, we can expect some extended stays,” said Richard Jones, deputy manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, referencing the complexities of scheduling around peak Atlantic hurricane season.

In response to weather-related delays, NASA and SpaceX announced plans to move Crew Dragon splashdowns to the West Coast beginning in early 2025. Bill Gerstenmaier, SpaceX vice president of build and flight reliability, emphasized that this change aims to improve splashdown weather and ensure a safer reentry process.

The Crew Dragon spacecraft demonstrated its resilience, remaining fully operational even after extending its mission by nearly a month. Initially certified for 210 days in orbit, NASA extended Crew Dragon’s certification by 30 days for the Crew-8 mission. “In terms of capability on orbit, this vehicle did extremely well with its 235 days in space,” Gerstenmaier noted, adding that SpaceX is exploring options with NASA to officially certify Crew Dragon for missions beyond 235 days.

Now back to its typical seven-person crew, the ISS remains well-supplied, with additional provisions from the NG-21 Cygnus cargo mission in August. Looking ahead, NASA plans to send additional items requested by the crew aboard the upcoming SpX-31 cargo Dragon mission, set for launch no earlier than November 4.

 

 

By Azhar

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