Minutes after U.S. astronauts splashed down off Florida, pleasure boats crowded the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule. NASA and SpaceX are implementing stronger safeguards to prevent repeats.
Millions watched live as Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley safely concluded the Demo-2 mission. NASA footage showed boats converging too close to the capsule.
NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine noted the U.S. Coast Guard had cleared the area pre-splashdown. SpaceX's recovery ship, Go Navigator, arrived about 30 minutes later. By then, numerous vessels had encroached.
SpaceX teams repelled the boats. "There are things we're going to have to look at, that we have to do better for sure," Bridenstine said.
"The lesson learned here is that we probably need more resources from the Coast Guard, and maybe more resources from SpaceX and NASA," SpaceX COO Gwynne Shotwell added. "It was a demonstration mission. We will definitely be better prepared next time."
This hiccup doesn't overshadow the mission's success. "It was an amazing day," Shotwell said, citing "tremendous relief" after months of anticipation. "We are officially entering a new era of spaceflight," Bridenstine added.
NASA and SpaceX will analyze test data to certify the capsule for ISS missions, potentially reusing it for Crew-2 in spring 2021. The first operational Crew-1 flight launches next September with Expedition 64 crew: Michael S. Hopkins, Victor J. Glover, Shannon Walker, and Soichi Noguchi.
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