The most impressive video of SpaceX's Dragon capsule returning home.
Watch as a spaceship departs from the space station in an unprecedented way.
An astronaut aboard the International Space Station (ISS), Don Pettit, has presented an extraordinary video documenting the recent separation of a SpaceX Dragon capsule. Typically, the launch of a spacecraft from the ISS is a slow process, and real-time filming mainly attracts space enthusiasts or those who enjoy leisurely-paced television. However, the time-lapse video reveals how the Dragon capsule quickly drifts away into space, after having spent more than a month at the station.
Dragon capsule number 31 undocked on December 17, marking the end of SpaceX's 31st resupply mission for NASA. This mission involved transporting approximately 2,700 kilograms of cargo to the ISS, including crew supplies and scientific experiments. The capsule landed off the coast of Florida, bringing back samples of scientific research related to human health and biology that will be analyzed in laboratory conditions.
Pettit, who at 69 is NASA's oldest active astronaut and is on his fourth orbital mission since his first journey in 2002, has provided not only moving images but also a variety of stunning photographs. These capture everything from star trails to views of Earth and spacecraft returning from their missions, as seen with a crewed Dragon capsule returning after the historic Polaris Dawn mission in September.
Recently, Pettit commented on his efforts in space photography during an interview from the ISS.
SpaceX has also been in the headlines, completing the sixth test of its Starship rocket, the most powerful to date. In the days following Tuesday's flight, the company has shared various images of the mission on social media, highlighting the key moment when the upper stage of Starship separated from its Super Heavy booster as planned.
Additionally, Pettit was fortunate to capture the launch of Starship from the ISS during the sixth test of the rocket, which occurred as the station passed directly overhead the launch site in Boca Chica, Texas. Through his lens, the impressive power of the 33 Raptor engines that propelled the rocket at the start of its latest test flight was showcased.
