Infrared cameras tracked Crew Dragon under parachutes in the night sky over the Pacific Ocean Source: NASA Livestream
SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule carrying the four-person Crew-11 team touched down in the Pacific Ocean off San Diego early Thursday, wrapping up a mission that lasted just over five months aboard the International Space Station.
NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, JAXA astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov splashed down at 12:41 AM PT. SpaceX recovery crews pulled the spacecraft and astronauts from the water shortly after.
NASA Astronaut Mike Finke was the first to exit Crew Dragon this morning after it was brought aboard SpaceX’s recovery vehicle.
The crew came home roughly three weeks ahead of schedule due to an undisclosed medical issue affecting one of the four. Citing privacy, NASA has declined to identify which crew member is involved but confirmed the individual remains in stable condition. All four astronauts were transported to a local hospital for evaluation following splashdown—a precautionary measure to take advantage of medical resources on the ground. Presumably, the crew member with the medical issue can now begin treatment.
“I couldn’t be prouder of our astronauts and the teams on the ground at NASA, SpaceX, and across our international partnerships,” NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said in a statement. “Their professionalism and focus kept the mission on track, even with an adjusted timeline.”
The crew launched from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39A on August 1, 2025, and docked to the station about 15 hours later. Over the course of 167 days in orbit, they circled Earth more than 2,670 times and racked up nearly 71 million miles.
Crew 11 Launching
Crew-11 conducted more than 140 experiments during their stay and marked the 25th anniversary of continuous human presence aboard the ISS on November 2. The mission was Fincke’s fourth trip to space, bringing his career total to 549 days—fourth-highest among all NASA astronauts. For Cardman and Platonov, it was their first spaceflight.
After a planned overnight hospital stay, all four crew members will head to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston for standard postflight medical checks and reconditioning.
Crew-8 aboard Crew Dragon arriving at ISS on Tuesday, March 5, 2024. Photo: NASA
NASA has announced that they are scheduling Crew-8 from the International Space Station today so that the four astronauts comprising the crew can begin their return to Earth:
NASA and SpaceX now are targeting no earlier than 5 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, Oct. 23, for the agency’s Crew-8 mission to depart from the International Space Station aboard SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft. An undocking on Wednesday would result in a splashdown on Friday, Oct. 25.
Forecasters have seen improvement in expected weather at some of the landing sites off the coast of Florida and continue to monitor conditions while considering splashdown sites and exact timing.
The agency added that there is another weather briefing this morning. The specific splashdown location has not been announced, but will either be in Florida’s waters in the Gulf of Mexico or off of the eastern Florida coast.
The last two weeks of weather have not been very kind to spaceflight schedules here in Florida, with hurricane-related or wind-related launch scrubs, and delays in the return of Crew-8 from ISS. Last month, the Polaris Dawn crew’s return was delayed due to weather as well.
Fortunately, forecasts seem to be turning in favor of launches and landings. The 45th Weather Squadron of Space Launch Delta 45 reported in their launch forecast for Starlink 6-61 (also scheduled for Wednesday, October 23) that “Launch conditions improve for Thursday as [a hgh pressure] ridge builds over the Florida peninsula, relaxing wind speeds and ushering in even drier air. Weather will be very favorable with a negligible risk of any weather violations [for launching.]” Presumably the calmer skies will also be of benefit to Crew-8’s astronauts.
In the early hours of Sunday morning, SpaceX’s Polaris Dawn crew successfully completed their five-day journey in space, capping off the historic mission with a splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico. The Crew Dragon capsule, carrying four astronauts, landed off the coast of Dry Tortugas, Florida, at 3:37 a.m. ET, marking the conclusion of a mission that included the world’s first commercial spacewalk.
“We’ve made history, and this is only the beginning of what’s possible with private space exploration,” said mission commander Jared Isaacman, the billionaire CEO of Shift4 Payments and key financier behind Polaris Dawn.
The mission achieved several significant milestones, including reaching the highest altitude for human spaceflight in over five decades. The crew orbited Earth at an apogee of 870 miles (1,400 kilometers), surpassing the 1966 altitude record set by NASA’s Gemini 11 mission. This achievement also marked the farthest distance from Earth that humans have traveled since the Apollo program ended in 1972.
For crew members Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon, SpaceX engineers who served as mission specialists, the mission was particularly groundbreaking. The high altitude made them the first women to travel so far from Earth. “It was an honor to be part of this mission, to push the boundaries of human space exploration,” said Gillis.
Splashdown
Despite several major accomplishments during the mission, as always, returning to Earth presented one of its most dangerous challenges. To safely re-enter the atmosphere, the Crew Dragon performed a “de-orbit burn,” orienting itself for the high-speed descent back to Earth. As the spacecraft hit the atmosphere at speeds of 17,000 miles per hour (27,000 kilometers per hour), it endured temperatures as high as 3,500 degrees Fahrenheit (1,900 degrees Celsius), protected by its heat shield.
Slowing down from the friction of the atmosphere, the capsule deployed its parachutes, which further decelerated its descent before it gently splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico. “Welcome back to planet Earth,” the host of SpaceX’s live broadcast exclaimed as cheers erupted in the background.
After splashdown, the capsule briefly bobbed in the water before being retrieved by a SpaceX recovery team stationed nearby. The team hauled the spacecraft onto a boat known as the “Dragon’s Nest,” where the astronauts disembarked after final safety checks. All four crew members, including pilot Scott “Kidd” Poteet, emerged smiling and in good health.
The Polaris Dawn Crew waves as the hatch of Resilience is opened by recovery crews. Photo: SpaceX
History Making Spacewalk
Last Thursday, Polaris Dawn added another historic first by completing the world’s first commercial spacewalk, also known as an extravehicular activity (EVA). Isaacman and Gillis took turns exiting the spacecraft while it was fully depressurized, marking a new era in privately funded space operations.
Floating just outside the Crew Dragon capsule for roughly 10 minutes each, Isaacman and Gillis tested the functionality of SpaceX’s custom-designed EVA suits, which are engineered to protect astronauts from the harsh conditions of space. “Back at home, we all have a lot of work to do, but from here, Earth sure looks like a perfect world,” Isaacman mused as he took in the breathtaking view during his spacewalk.
Commander Jared Isaacman Image: SpaceX emerges from the Resilience during the world’s first commercial spacewalk. Photo: SpaceX
The EVA was conducted as part of the mission’s broader goal to test technologies that will be crucial for future deep-space missions, including flights to the Moon and Mars. Despite the high risks involved, the spacewalk was completed without any major issues, a success that SpaceX hailed as a significant step forward for commercial space operations.
A Mission with Purpose
Liftoff of Polaris Dawn Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
In addition to making history, the Polaris Dawn mission focused heavily on scientific research. The crew conducted nearly 40 experiments during their five days in orbit, with a particular emphasis on understanding space adaptation syndrome, a form of motion sickness that occurs in microgravity. The research conducted on this mission is expected to contribute valuable insights into the long-term health of astronauts during future deep-space voyages.
Sarah Gillis, a trained violinist, also brought her violin onboard and performed Rey’s Theme from Star Wars: The Force Awakens in a symbolic test of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite network, which successfully transmitted the music back to Earth. Meanwhile, Menon read from her co-authored children’s book Kisses From Space during a special video call with patients from St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, in an effort to raise awareness and support for the hospital.
The Polaris Dawn Mission was dedicated to raising funds for St. Judes Children’s Research Hospital Photo: Polaris Dawn
The mission also tested SpaceX’s next-generation spacesuits, which are designed to offer enhanced protection against the rigors of space, including radiation and extreme temperatures. “These spacesuits will play a vital role in future missions, especially as we prepare for long-term exploration beyond low-Earth orbit,” Menon explained.
“The Resilience“
The Dragon capsule used for Polaris Dawn, named Resilience, has a storied past. It first flew in 2020 for NASA’s Crew-1 mission to the International Space Station and later in 2021 for the Inspiration4 mission, also led by Isaacman. This marked the third trip to space for Resilience, which continues to demonstrate SpaceX’s commitment to reusability in spacecraft design.
SpaceX Crew Dragon ‘Resilience’ on the launch pad. Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
Looking ahead, Isaacman has plans for even more ambitious missions. Polaris Dawn is the first of three planned flights in cooperation with SpaceX, with the next slated to involve a flight to the Hubble Space Telescope to extend its operational life. A third mission is expected to be the first crewed flight of SpaceX’s next-generation Starship rocket.
“This mission is just the beginning of what we can achieve in the future,” Isaacman said. “There’s so much more ahead as we continue to push the boundaries of human spaceflight.”
As SpaceX continues to set new milestones in commercial space exploration, the successful splashdown of Polaris Dawn is yet another reminder of the potential for privately funded missions to lead the charge in the next frontier of human exploration.
Note: this article originally published by Mark Stone of Florida Media Now. It is shared here by permission.
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