NASA’s SpaceX Demo-2: Teams Targeting Gulf of Mexico for Splashdown
Marie Lewis, NASA • August 1, 2020
SpaceX Capsule Splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico south of Gulf Shores
Watch live coverage of the SpaceX splashdown below...
SpaceX Crew Dragon DM-2 Splashdown coverage continues with splashdown scheduled at 1:48 p.m. CDT.
(OBA®) - UPDATE on August 2, 2020 at 7:55 am - At 12:36 pm there will be a communications blackout for about 6 minutes as the SpaceX capsule re-enters earth's atmosphere. At 12:42 pm communications will return.
The Trunk Separation will take place at 12:51 pm. The deorbit burn will last 11.5 minutes. On re-entry the outside of the capsule will reach temperatures in excess of 3,500 degrees. The inside the capsule will be 85°.
Parachutes will deploy at 1:45pm. The time of splashdown is now scheduled for 1:48 pm CDT.
At splashdown the capsule will be moving at 15 mph.
We have asked NASA if we'll be able to see the splashdown from the beach. NASA answered on their live feed... They said we should be able to see the orange and white parachutes, but they aren't sure.
Gulf of Mexico off of Pensacola and Orange Beach is primary target site for splashdown on Sunday.
(OBA®) - Following a scheduled assessment of weather conditions for splashdown, teams from NASA and SpaceX are proceeding with preparations to bring NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley home to Earth aboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon “Endeavour” spacecraft.
Conditions are “Go” at the primary targeted site, off the coast Pensacola, and alternate site off the coast of Panama City in the Gulf of Mexico for splashdown and recovery on Sunday, Aug. 2. Teams will continue to closely monitor Hurricane Isaias and evaluate impacts to the potential splashdown sites.
SpaceX will monitor changes to conditions until 2.5 hours prior to the scheduled undocking, when a determination to proceed with departure will be made. If conditions are marginal and exceed the accepted criteria, a joint recommendation by SpaceX and NASA will be made whether to proceed with undocking at 7:34 p.m. EDT. NASA and SpaceX will make the final decision to proceed after the astronauts are ready inside Crew Dragon just before undocking.
Live coverage of NASA’s SpaceX Demo-2 return will begin at 5:15 p.m. and continue through the targeted splashdown at 2:41 p.m. EDT on Sunday, the first return of a commercially built and operated American spacecraft carrying astronauts from the space station. It will wrap up NASA’s SpaceX Demo-2 test flight after more than two months at the International Space Station.
Hurley and Behnken arrived at the orbiting laboratory in the Crew Dragon May 31 following a launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on May 30. This is SpaceX’s final test flight and is providing data on the performance of the Falcon 9 rocket, Crew Dragon spacecraft and ground systems, as well as in-orbit, docking, splashdown, and recovery operations.
More details about the return can be found in the Top 10 Things to Know for NASA’s SpaceX Demo-2 Return.
Share this article w/ Friends...
Gulf Shores, Ala. — (OBA) — Alabama offers exceptional waterfowl hunting opportunities, particularly when local waterways and hunting grounds retain sufficient water. According to David Rainer, writer for the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, having a decent amount of water on a property
Orange Beach, Ala. — (OBA) — The Garner C. Tampary Memorial Foundation is bringing back its popular holiday tradition in Orange Beach this winter. The 4th Annual Merry Memories Tinsel Trail will take place at Orange Beach Waterfront Park. The event showcases a display of live Christmas trees decorated for the season.
Gulf Shores, AL. — (GSN) — Louisiana State University has officially named its newly established School of Construction within the College of Engineering as the Art Favre School of Construction. The university also announced that the program's future 148,000-square-foot state-of-the-art facility will be named the
Foley, Ala. — (OBA) — Foley has earned a Class 2 commercial building code rating, the second-highest score nationally. The city also improved its residential rating from Class 4 to Class 3. The new grades could help some property owners save on insurance for eligible new construction. Both improvements mark a jump
Orange Beach, Ala. — (OBA) — Alabama's private angler red snapper season is nearing its close after another busy year on the Gulf. The Marine Resources Division (MRD) is part of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR). The agency manages the state's red snapper fishery to remain within
Gulf Shores, Ala. — (OBA) — The Waterway Village Zydeco & Crawfish Festival is returning to Gulf Shores after a three-year absence from the event calendar. The Waterway Village Merchants Association is now recruiting vendors for the 2027 festival. The event celebrates Cajun culture and Louisiana-style cuisine along
Orange Beach, Ala. — (OBA) — Orange Beach City Schools Superintendent Randy Wilkes has announced plans to retire, marking the end of a 38-year career in public education. Wilkes served as the district's founding superintendent, guiding it from its first day of operation. During his tenure, the district grew into one
Orange Beach, Ala. — (OBA) — The Frank Brown International Songwriters’ Festival enters its final weekend with more songs and stories to share. Writers will take turns onstage at Flora-Bama, where fans can hear the people behind the lyrics. The closing stretch features afternoon rounds, evening shows, and a full-band
Gulf Shores, Ala. — (OBA) — The Gulf Coast Arts Alliance will host its annual Christmas Open House at the GCAA Gallery in Gulf Shores. The event is free and open to the public. Visitors can expect food, wine, music, and door prizes while celebrating local artists. The gallery is located in Waterway Village at 225 E. 2
Orange Beach, Ala. — (OBA) — The Coastal Half Marathon, 5K, and 1-Mile Fun Run return to Orange Beach for a post-Thanksgiving weekend tradition of coastal racing. Now in its 19th year, the gathering offers three race distances routed entirely along the area's award-winning backcountry trails.
