The all-private Axiom Space Ax-2 mission carrying four astronauts, including the first Arab woman in space, splashed down off the coast of Florida on Tuesday night. The astronauts’ night-time return to Earth put up quite the spectacle as you can see from the images and videos below.
Recovery teams approaching the SpaceX Dragon Freedom capsule. (SpaceX via Twitter)Twitter user TJ posted a short video where the spaceship can be seen streaking through the sky as friction with the atmosphere heats it up to scorching temperatures.
WTF is this!?!? Recorded in Baker, FL.. nowhere NEAR any nasa/space x launch sites ???? pic.twitter.com/6xr3hjeFCg
— TJ (@FishWithYakPak) May 31, 2023
Jacob Woods, another Twitter user shared a video of the same event from a more distant vantage point. It was taken at 9.55 PM CDT in Starkville, Florida, according to the user.
Anyone know what this could be?
9:55 PM in Starkville, MS pic.twitter.com/QZ4SdpxCeC
— Jacob Woods (@JacobWoodsWx) May 31, 2023
The SpaceX dragon capsule seen here with damages from the blazing hot reentry. (SpaceX via Twitter)
The SpaceX dragon capsule seen here with damages from the blazing hot reentry. (SpaceX via Twitter)In this image from SpaceX, the Dragon capsule can be seen bearing the damages from its blazing hot reentry into the planet. (SpaceX via Twitter)
The crew of the Ax-2 mission Peggy Whitson, who led the mission, John Shoffner, the pilot, and saudi astronauts Rayyanah Barwani and Ali Aqarni, who were mission specialists.
Peggy Whitson holds the American record for the most time spent in orbit after spending more than 665 days outside the planet over the course of three long-duration missions to the International Space Station. Rayyanah Barnawi made history as the first female Arab astronaut to go to space. During their short visit to ISS, the Saudi astronauts were greeted by UAE’s Sultan Al Neyadi, the first Emirati astronaut to go on a long-term mission to the International Space Station.
