Orion’s Splashdown
After 25 1/2 days, Snoopy has joined us back on Earth! His mission ended on the beautiful morning of December 11th, 2022. Exactly as scheduled, the Artemis 1 mission succeeded as Orion splashed into the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Baja.
Credits: NASA
My family and I crowded around the screen anxiously awaiting Orion’s splashdown live on NASA TV. As Ground Control narrated Orion’s re-entrance into the atmosphere, we counted down the minutes until Snoopy was safe and sound. Orion plunged to Earth covered with flame. The temperature was about 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit, the same as the Sun’s surface! Orion’s body was designed by NASA’s scientists and used cutting-edge technology, so the interior of the spacecraft would be unscathed. However, even though I made Snoopy and his astronaut suit with NASA-approved nonflammable materials, the naive thought in my brain said, “Snoopy won’t survive the heat!” When I saw the image of the Orion burning through the atmosphere like a fireball, I was very worried about how Snoopy would fare after the splashdown.
Email and Picture from NASA!
On the evening of December 15, 2022, NASA emailed a picture of Snoopy nestled safely back into his protective case. Their message read: “Snoopy is back home and eating comfortably in his case. He is tired but enjoyed his flight. And hopefully, he gets to keep his frequent flier miles !”
I was so excited to see him again without any injury or damage at all. He is the same happy beagle as usual. I am not sure of Snoopy’s next destination- perhaps he will move to his final home at the Snoopy Museum in Sanat Rosa, CA. I will update the information about where he will be so that you can visit him.
It is amazing to experience the whole process of the rocket going to the Moon and what science and technology can do. I am pretty sure that the next Artemis mission with astronauts can go to Moon and return to Earth safely. I am so proud that my art and craft skills were a part of the Artemis mission.
Check my previous blog post about MAKING THE ASTRONAUT SNOOPY FOR ARTEMIS 1 MISSION