Why in news?
New crewed missions such as NASA’s Artemis programme and commercial vehicles like SpaceX Crew Dragon have revived interest in splashdown landings. Many people wonder how these work.
Understanding splashdowns
When a space capsule returns to Earth, it needs to slow down from orbital velocity. In a splashdown, large parachutes deploy to reduce speed, and the capsule lands in the ocean. Water acts as a natural cushion, absorbing impact without the need for braking rockets.
Examples
- Historical programmes: NASA’s Mercury, Gemini and Apollo missions all used splashdowns. Apollo 11’s crew famously splashed down in the Pacific Ocean in 1969.
- Modern vehicles: SpaceX’s Crew Dragon and Boeing’s Starliner capsules use water landings. China’s Shenzhou capsules and NASA’s Orion spacecraft also splash down.
- Emergency option: Russia’s Soyuz capsules typically land on land but are designed to splash down if needed.
Advantages and challenges
- Water provides a softer landing than solid ground, reducing stress on the spacecraft and crew.
- Splashdowns avoid the need for landing rockets and reduce weight.
- However, they require recovery ships, and the crew may face seasickness. Weather and sea state affect recovery operations.
