SpaceX Crew Dragon returned to Earth today!

Crew Dragon (L-R): Robert Behnken, Doug Hurley

SpaceX's Crew Dragon, consisting of Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley, splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico today about 2:48PM EDT!  The last time NASA had a mission splashdown was in 1975 when Tom Stafford, Vance Brand and Deke Slayton returned from the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project.

Bob and Doug spent 62 days aboard the International Space Station participating in Expedition 63.  Behnken conducted four EVAs with fellow astronaut Chris Cassidy during the mission.

Happy birthday, cosmonaut Anatoly Filipchenko!

Anatoly Filipchenko, born February 26, 1928 in the former Soviet Union, has been in space twice. 

His first trip was aboard Soyuz 7 as commander in October 1969.  The mission was to rendezvous with Soyuz 6 and Soyuz 8 but the project was unsuccessful.

His second and final trip was aboard Soyuz 16 as commander in December 1974.  It was a manned test flight in preparation for the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project the following year.

Cosmonaut Valeri Kubasov born 1935

Valeri Kubasov, born January 7, 1935 in the former Soviet Union, was a veteran of three space flights. He spent over 18 days in space.

His first mission was aboard Soyuz 6 with fellow cosmonaut Georgy Shonin.  They conducted the first welding experiments in space but planned docking and rendezvous maneuvers with Soyuz 7 and Soyuz 8 failed.

His second mission was aboard Soyuz 19 with Alexey Leonov in July 1975.  They docked with NASA's Apollo spacecraft for the Apollo-Soyuz Test Program, a joint project between NASA and the Soviet space program.

Kuvasov's third and final mission was aboard Soyuz 36 as commander to the Salyut 6 space station in May 1980. He returned to Earth in June.

He passed away of natural causes in February 2014.

Apollo and Soyuz 19 launched 1975

Apollo-Soyuz Test Project commemorative painting

On what would be the last mission of NASA's Apollo program, "Apollo 18" (the unofficial designation) was launched July 15, 1975 for the first joint space mission between the United States and the Soviet Union. Its crew consisted of Thomas Stafford, Vance Brand and Donald "Deke" Slayton.

On the other side of the world, Soyuz 19 launched with cosmonauts Alexey Leonov and Valeri Kubasov the same day. The mission was called the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project.

When the ships docked, the crews exchanged the first international handshake in space.  They also conducted experiments, exchanged flags and gifts, ate together and signed certificates. After 44 hours together, the ships separated and went their separate ways. 

The cosmonauts stayed in space for two more days, returning to Earth July 21. The astronauts stayed five extra days and returned to Earth July 24.