US "Dragon" spacecraft carried two astronauts back to Earth
Xinhua News Agency, Washington, August 2 (Reporter Tan Jingjing) The space exploration technology company "Dragon" spacecraft carrying two American astronauts returned to Earth on the 2nd and splashed down near the coast of Florida in the southeastern United States to complete the first manned test flight.
On August 1, local time, the first manned trial of NASA's Commercial Manned Aviation Program (CPP) began the final phase of the mission-returning to Earth. The picture shows the astronauts Doug Hurley (left) and Bob Behnken taking the "Dragon" spacecraft capsule to leave the International Space Station. (Video screenshot)
After staying at the International Space Station for about two months, the "Dragon" spacecraft left the International Space Station on the 1st. At 14:48 on the 2nd, US Eastern Time (2:48 on the 3rd, Beijing Time), the spacecraft landed in the Gulf of Mexico near Florida. The recovery ship near the splash point is ready to salvage the spacecraft.
The "Dragon" spacecraft was launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on May 30 on the Space Exploration Technology Company's "Falcon 9" rocket, sending astronauts Douglas Hurley and Robert Benken to the International Space Station. This is the first time a spacecraft built and operated by a private American company has transported American astronauts from the United States to and from the space station.