The Ax-3 crew closed the hatch on the Crew Dragon space capsule and docked from the space station on February 7 at 15:05 (Swedish time).
With the help of on-board rockets, the space capsule was placed in the correct orbit for re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere. As the space capsule entered the atmosphere, the speed slowed dramatically and the frictional heat around the capsule reached temperatures up to 1600 degrees. In the final phase, two rounds of parachutes were deployed, first two brake screens and finally four large parachutes which further reduced the speed and stabilized the capsule before landing in the sea.
Marcus and the crew aboard the space capsule landed on the coast of Florida on February 9, 2024 at 14:30 Swedish time.
Marcus Wandt has served as mission specialist during the trip along with Walter Villadei from Italy, Alper Gezeravcı from Turkey and commander Michael López-Alegría, a very experienced former NASA astronaut.
– We are very proud and happy about Marcus’ contribution. He has carried out a series of experiments to the benefit of Swedish and international research and is also a source of inspiration for a whole generation of Swedes in the natural sciences, says Anna Rathsman, Director General of the Swedish Space Agency, in connection with Marcus’ return.
Marcus Wandt will now fly to Cologne, Germany, where he completes a series of medical tests while ESA’s space medical team monitors his readjustment to Earth’s gravity.
Science that matters
During his time on the ISS, Marcus Wandt has participated in around 20 European experiments.
– Sweden’s fast and robust decision-making is the core of the Muninn mission’s success. Marcus’ mission as an ESA project astronaut showed that through ESA, Europe can be nimble and flexible and ready to join a changing landscape of manned spaceflight, says ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher.
During his two weeks on the International Space Station, Marcus Wandt has conducted two Swedish experiments. He led the Swedish experiment Orbital Architecture from Kungl. University of Technology (KTH) to investigate how people’s physical and mental well-being can be affected by living in extreme and limited environments.
Another Swedish experiment that was carried out in microgravity was Memo BC. Marcus placed neural stem cells in the ICE Cubes facility on Europe’s Columbus module to monitor changes in their cell structures and gene expression. The researchers believe that this type of cell can help other cells survive after being exposed to microgravity.
– This mission diversified our access to space, accelerated important science and research, and helped gain experience with new partners. The Muninn mission has better prepared ESA and Europe for a post-ISS future, says Josef Aschbacher, Director General at ESA.
Marcus Wandt also maneuvered a team of robots on Earth from the space station for the so-called Surface Avatar experiment. As part of the experiment, he gave the European team feedback on the interface to facilitate the work of maneuvering robots from a distance.
Marcus also took photos from space and used a 360° camera to record a tour of the space station to give viewers a unique view from inside the International Space Station, ISS.
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