SpaceX Crew-11 Deorbit Burn and Splashdown Recovery Explained

Deorbit Burn Underway

• 🚀 The SpaceX Dragon Endeavor is performing its deorbit burn, a critical maneuver to transition from orbit for a controlled return to Earth.
• 🎯 This burn precisely aligns the spacecraft for its splashdown location off the coast of San Diego.
• ⏱️ The deorbit burn is expected to conclude at 12:04 a.m. Pacific time, utilizing the four forward Draco thrusters.

Journey from the Space Station

• 🛰️ Following separation, Dragon used its Draco thrusters for departure burns to increase distance from the space station.
• 📉 A subsequent phasing burn lowered Dragon's orbit, aligning it for re-entry and its designated landing location.
• ⏳ The total journey time from undock to landing for Crew-11 is approximately 10.5 hours.

Splashdown and Recovery Operations

• ⚠️ Recovering a spacecraft from the water is inherently hazardous, and boats interfering increase risks for the crew and recovery teams.
• 📺 Viewers are encouraged to follow the mission on official webcasts for the best views of the astronauts' return.
• 🔊 In the Los Angeles and San Diego areas, residents might be able to see the spacecraft re-entering around 12:30 a.m. and potentially hear a sonic boom.

Splashdown Site Selection

• 🌍 NASA and SpaceX jointly select the splashdown location based on variables including the space station's orbital trajectory, available landing sites with favorable weather, Dragon's free flight capability, and the crew's rest schedule.
• ⚖️ Trajectory and ballistics experts provide daily opportunities for landing, categorized into ascending and descending opportunities.

Next Steps Post-Deorbit

• 💨 Following the deorbit burn, the spacecraft will undergo trunk separation, nose cone closure, re-entry, and deployment of drogue and main parachutes before landing.