[ad_1]
Returning from the free-fall environment of orbit to the normal gravitational forces on Earth is often confusing to astronauts. Landing on water increases the likelihood of seasickness.
At a press conference in 2020, Doug Hurley, who made his maiden voyage in NASA’s Crew Dragon capsule, said he had read some reports from Skylab astronauts.
“There were some challenges post-bounce,” he said. “The folks weren’t feeling well and, you know, that’s how landing on water is, even if you haven’t been unconditionally conditioned like us.”
Mr. Hurley agreed that vomiting would not be unexpected.
“We have bags if you need them, and we’ll have them ready,” he said. “We’ll probably have a few towels on hand as well. And if that has to happen, it certainly wouldn’t be the first time in a spacecraft.
But shortly after the explosion, he asked SpaceX’s mission controllers to say “we’re doing pretty well so far” to flight surgeons monitoring their health.
The crew will also return minutes before sunset on Saturday. SpaceX’s last astronaut crashed Occurred in the dark in Mayand it was the first night landing by astronauts since 1968.
Steve Stich, director of NASA’s Commercial Crew program, said the consistently calm night air in the splash-exposed area, ample moonlight and additional factors make it advantageous to go into the dark.
“When we weighed all these options, it seemed like the best time to go home,” he said earlier in the year on NASA TV.
Another advantage of going ashore at night can be that there are fewer private boats around. This was… An issue with the first manned SpaceX capsule landing on the ground in August 2020. More than a dozen boats—one of them carrying the Trump campaign flag—coupled above the burnt capsule, and a few stepped inside for a closer look.
This episode raised concerns about safety and security procedures among NASA and SpaceX officials. NASA officials said private boats could hinder rescue efforts if there was an emergency. They added that toxic fumes may have emerged from the capsule, which poses a risk to boaters.
With this concern in mind in May, the Coast Guard established an 11.5-mile safety zone around the splash area to chase away any interference.
[ad_2]
Source link