Copernical Team
Dragon Endeavour tour
ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet is sharing scenes from life on board the International Space Station during his second mission “Alpha”. Here he gives a quick tour of the SpaceX Cargo Dragon Endeavour that brought him to the Space Station together with JAXA astronaut Aki Hoshide and NASA astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur. The same astronauts, Crew-2, will use the spacecraft to return home after undocking with the Station and fly to Earth for a splashdown off the coast of Florida, USA.
Over 200 experiments are planned during Thomas’ time in space, with 40 European ones and 12
ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet returns after an action-packed six months in orbit
Astronaut crew prepares to return to Earth
Four astronauts were preparing to leave the International Space Station and head back to Earth on Monday after spending six busy months aboard the orbital outpost.
The Crew-2 mission, which includes two Americans, a Frenchman and one Japanese astronaut, have been living and working on the space lab since April 24, carrying out hundreds of experiments and upgrading the station's solar panels.
They are now set to board their SpaceX Dragon capsule named "Endeavour" and undock from the ISS at 2:05 pm US Eastern Time (1905 GMT) before splashing down off the coast of Florida at 10:33 pm (0333 GMT Tuesday). NASA will provide a livestream.
"Last minute packing, getting ready to depart ISS," tweeted Japan's Akihiko Hoshide.
"It has been a fun 6+ months—pleasure and honor working with ALL the incredible people from around the world, both on & off the planet."
Their activities have included documenting the planet's surface to record human-caused changes and natural events, growing chile peppers and studying worms to better understand human health changes in space.
Crew-2's departure was delayed a day by high winds.
Four station astronauts catch ride with SpaceX back home
Four astronauts in orbit since spring headed back to Earth on Monday, aiming for a late night splashdown off the Florida coast.
The undocking of their SpaceX capsule from the International Space Station also paved the way for a launch of their four replacements as early as Wednesday night.
The newcomers were scheduled to launch first, but NASA switched the order because of bad weather and an astronaut's undisclosed medical condition. The welcoming duties will now fall to the lone American and two Russians left behind at the space station.
NASA astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur, Japan's Akihiko Hoshide and France's Thomas Pesquet should have been back Monday morning, but high wind in the recovery zone delayed their homecoming.
Astronaut conducts first spacewalk by Chinese woman
High wind delays SpaceX crew homecoming after 6 months aloft
China's 1st woman to spacewalk works 6 hours outside station
High winds delay ISS astronauts' return to Earth
A capsule carrying four astronauts home will leave the International Space Station on Monday rather than Sunday, NASA said, blaming high winds at the landing site for the delay. The group including France's Thomas Pesquet, Japan's Akihiko Hoshide and US spacefarers Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur will undock at 1905 GMT on Monday. "Due to high winds near the splashdown zone, the Crew-
Astronaut becomes first Chinese woman to spacewalk
Astronaut Wang Yaping became the first Chinese woman to walk in space, authorities said Monday, as her team completed a six-hour stint outside the Tiangong space station as part of its ongoing construction. Tiangong - meaning "heavenly palace" - is the latest achievement in China's drive to become a major space power, after landing a rover on Mars and sending probes to the Moon. Its co
Thomas returns to Earth – watch live
After almost 200 days in space it is time to return to planet Earth for ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet, JAXA astronaut Aki Hoshide and NASA astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur.