Why Shux splashed down in the sea, but Rakesh Sharma landed on land

India Today

3 days ago

Between the two, splash downs and bone-rattling terra firma landings during re-entry from space, the easier option might seem to be the former. The gentle embrace of water cushions might seem to be the best choice. But that's not entirely true, as recent space missions highlight the continued use of both splashdowns and landings on hard land. On Tuesday, Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla returned to Earth as the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft safely splashed down off the coast of California, US. Conversely, in September 2024, Boeing's Starliner capsule landed on solid ground at New Mexico's White Sands Space Harbour, demonstrating the continued use of terrestrial landings.advertisementWhile SpaceX's choice of a water landing aligns with its safety and debris management priorities, what ultimately drives the decision between water and land landings?While water landings are more common in the case of the US, countries like Russia and China rely on ground landings for their manned space missions.
The choice between a land or sea landing is typically made well before the mission, based on the spacecraft's design, capabilities, and the recovery infrastructure available. It also depends on whether the space agency has the logistical support to manage a safe landing on the ground or at sea.Forty-one years ago, in April 1984, Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma, India's first man in space, landed in Kazakhstan aboard the Soyuz T-10 capsule after his mission to the Soviet Salyut 7 space station.WHY WATER LANDINGS MINIMISE RISKWater landings, like by the Dragon, ensure debris from the spacecraft's trunk, jettisoned before re-entry, falls into the vast, unpopulated ocean. It minimises risks to people or property on the land.Land landings, while precise and comparatively cacheable, as seen with Starliner's New Mexico touchdown, require controlled zones to manage debris, which can be unpredictable.Water landings are safer because debris can otherwise hit residential or commercial areas, causing damage and financial loss. This risk became evident in April when pieces of the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule's trunk were found as far away as Australia and Canada.Splashdowns also offer a gentler return.LANDINGS ON EARTH AREN'T ALWAYS SOFTDuring touchdown, while capsules with parachutes slow down considerably before the water impact, land landings, like those of Russia's Soyuz, often involve a harsher impact. This causes discomfort, especially for crews deconditioned by microgravity.Land landings, while viable, face challenges from terrain and weather.Space return landings on land involve spacecraft descending to Earth with parachutes and landing on solid ground, typically in remote areas like Kazakhstan's steppes. It avoids the complexities and costs of sea recovery.The Russian Soyuz spacecraft, used for decades, employs this method due to the vast, flat terrain of Kazakhstan (a former Soviet Republic and a space hub).advertisementChinese missions, such as Shenzhou, also land in Inner Mongolia for similar reasons.It was the same landing method employed during the landing of Indian cosmonaut Rakesh Sharma, the first Indian in space.Sharma landed in Kazakhstan aboard the Soyuz T-10 module after a mission to the Salyut 7 station, touching down safely in the marshy plains near Arkalyk.In an interaction in 2024, Rakesh Sharma recounted his return from space."The reentry was more thrilling because I thought I wouldn't make it... That's when the parachute opens, and there's a lot of sound inside for which we were unprepared," he said, according to a PTI report.Shukla's mission chose water for its safety, comfort, and operational advantages, which ensured a smoother return from the stars.- EndsTune InMust Watch