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SpaceX Dragon spacecraft splashed down with Crew-11 Astronauts

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SpaceX Crew-11 Dragon spacecraft splashdown

SpaceX has successfully splashed down the Dragon spacecraft off the coast of California, with all of the Crew-11 mission astronauts recovered safe and sound.

Launched on August 1, 2025, from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Dragon spacecraft carried four astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS).

The crew included NASA astronauts Zena Cardman as commander and Michael Fincke as pilot, plus mission specialists Kimiya Yui from Japan and Oleg Platonov from Russia. Their tasks involved science experiments, station upkeep, and research in low Earth orbit.

The mission ran for 167 days but ended sooner than expected because of a medical issue with one crew member. NASA noted the astronaut is stable, but the ISS could not provide full treatment. This prompted an early return for safe care on Earth.

On January 14, 2026, the Dragon undocked from the ISS at 5:20 p.m. Eastern Time. SpaceX shared live views of the spacecraft pulling away. The hatch had closed at 3:29 p.m. Eastern Time after loading supplies and samples.

SpaceX Crew-11 Dragon spacecraft splashdown

After undocking, Dragon fired thrusters to distance itself from the ISS. Ground teams tracked their systems closely. Live streams were on SpaceX’s site and social channels.

The return sequence followed. Dragon closed its nosecone and jettisoned the trunk before reentry. The deorbit burn finished on time. It may have caused a sonic boom near the landing zone. Drogue parachutes opened at about 18,000 feet, then the main parachutes deployed.

Splashdown occurred on January 15, 2026, at 12:41 a.m. Pacific Time, off San Diego, California. Recovery ships retrieved the crew and capsule swiftly. The astronauts got medical checks before heading home.

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