Dragon returns to Earth

Early this morning, SpaceX's Dragon capsule separated from the Space Station and began its trip home. After its reentry burn, Dragon began feeling the atmosphere around 8:30 AM Pacific time, and splashed down at 8:42.

NASA aircraft were able to pick up the descending Dragon capsule using infrared, as shown on NASA TV:

When the drogue parachutes deployed, they didn't give much of a visual impression:

...but the main chutes are unmistakable, even in infrared:

As of this writing, the recovery vessel has almost reached the capsule to lift it out of the water.

Try to get your head around this. Only ten years after SpaceX was founded, they have:

• developed and successfully flown two types of launch vehicles
• launched two satellites into orbit
• developed a recoverable space capsule, something only three nations have done in the past
• demonstrated successful reentry
• rendezvoused and berthed with the Space Station
• brought their capsule safely back to Earth, carrying 1,300 pounds of cargo from the Station

Congratulations to them. And good news for space.