SpaceX Dragon capsule returns to Earth in fireball in most dramatic moment of pioneering journey

Successful splashdown changed how Nasa sends astronauts into space

SpaceX Dragon lands in the Atlantic Ocean, changing the future of Nasa space travel

SpaceX’s brand new crew capsule has splashed down on Earth – and might have changed the future of space travel as it did.

It dropped into the Atlantic Ocean, right on time, bringing an end to a mission that went entirely successfully and paves the way for the capsule to carry astronauts to space.

The Dragon capsule pulled away from the orbiting lab early Friday, a test dummy named Ripley its lone occupant. It’s aiming for a morning splashdown in the Atlantic off Florida’s coast, the final hurdle of the six-day test flight. Saturday’s launch and Sunday’s docking were spot on.

NASA astronauts have been stuck riding Russian rockets since space shuttles retired eight years ago. NASA is counting on SpaceX and Boeing to start launching astronauts this year. SpaceX is aiming for summer.

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[8 March 2019 13:46 · Andrew Griffin]

It's down!

[8 March 2019 13:47 · Andrew Griffin]

Recovery crews are now rushing to pick up the capsule. (Just as they will one day be rushing to get the crew that are planned to be inside.)

[8 March 2019 13:49 · Andrew Griffin]

That recovery work is still ongoing. And will be for days and weeks yet, as SpaceX studies the data and objects that have come back to analyse the flight.

[8 March 2019 13:50 · Andrew Griffin]

Here's SpaceX's delighted reaction

[8 March 2019 13:51 · Andrew Griffin]

Here's our breaking story on the arrival and successful mission

[8 March 2019 13:52 · Andrew Griffin]

And here's Nasa

[8 March 2019 13:59 · Andrew Griffin]

Still plenty of concentration – and no partying, yet – at SpaceX, as engineers work to make sure the capsule is safe and collected.

[8 March 2019 14:01 · Andrew Griffin]

This is "Demo-1". But things won't be over until "Demo-2", when two astronauts will fly in the capsule, and allow the spacecraft to be fully certified for future missions.

[8 March 2019 14:03 · Andrew Griffin]

The capsule has been grabbed, and is currently bobbing around in the ocean, looking like a big metallic whale

[8 March 2019 14:09 · Andrew Griffin]

Nasa administrator Jim Bridenstine is on TV, praising the achievement and the work of Nasa getting all of this done. "This really is an American achievement that spans many generations of Nasa administrators."