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First they need to slow their speed so the earth's gravity can 'catch' them. This is done by doing a de-orbit burn. The space shuttle then literally falls from the sky - but in a well planned path - to come to an unpowered landing in either Florida at Kennedy Space Center, or at Edwards Airforce Base in California. The commander is in control and so the landing is done manually as there is considerably more risk with a computer controlled one. A parachute slows the shuttle once it has landed. The Russian Soyuz craft literally fall back to earth onto land, slowed by parachutes.
During earlier missions such as Apollo, the capsule came in backwards and a protective shield gradually burnt away thus taking the heat with it. Parachutes also were used to slow the descent. The capsule then splashed down in the sea, and was picked up by naval vessels assigned to the task.
You can watch a shuttle return from space on NASA TV from a few hours before landing. This covers the time from the deorbit burn until well after landing. There is a link to the site in the Web Links to the left. Shuttle missions don't happen very often, but you will still find something of interest to watch instead and there are video files of past missions in the ' Video Gallery' within the NASA site.
What else can I help you with?
What was the only part of the Apollo spacecraft to return to earth?
The command module was the only part of the Apollo spacecraft to return to Earth. It was designed to re-enter the Earth's atmosphere, withstand the heat of re-entry, and splash down safely in the ocean.
When did the Galileo spacecraft come back to Earth?
Depends entirely on which satellite of Jupiter you are referring to - they all have different rotation times. And with over 60 satellites, there is no room to catalog the orbital period of all of them here.
How fast did the Apollo spacecraft go?
The Apollo spacecraft traveled at speeds of about 25,000 miles per hour (40,000 km/h) to reach the Moon and during its return journey to Earth.
Which Apollo mission was forced to return to earth after system failure?
Apollo 13 was the mission that was forced to return to Earth after a system failure. An oxygen tank explosion caused critical damage to the spacecraft, prompting the mission to be aborted. The crew and ground control worked together to problem-solve and successfully navigated the spacecraft back to Earth safely.
Why did NASA send out Laika on a spacecraft that wouldn't come back to earth?
NASA did not send out Laika, a Soviet space dog, on a spacecraft that wouldn't return to Earth. The mission was carried out by the Soviet space program in 1957, not NASA. Unfortunately, Laika was never intended to return as the technology to safely bring spacecraft back from orbit was not developed at that time.
What was the last spacecraft to return to earth?
Juno
What was the name of the first manned spacecraft to return safeley to earth?
Vostok I.
What was Apollo 8 used for?
The Apollo 8 spacecraft was the first spacecraft to orbit the moon and then return safely to earth.
What was the only part of the Apollo spacecraft to return to earth?
The command module was the only part of the Apollo spacecraft to return to Earth. It was designed to re-enter the Earth's atmosphere, withstand the heat of re-entry, and splash down safely in the ocean.
What was the name of the manned spacecraft to return safely to earth?
Jim bob junior 127
What was apollo11?
Apollo 11 was a three man spacecraft to land on the moon and to return back to the earth.
What does a moon landing probe do?
The lunar module lands on the moon and it helps as a launch pad for the spacecraft to return to earth.
When did the Galileo spacecraft come back to Earth?
Depends entirely on which satellite of Jupiter you are referring to - they all have different rotation times. And with over 60 satellites, there is no room to catalog the orbital period of all of them here.
Will all space crafts return to earth?
No. It is highly unlikely that all spacecraft will be returned to Earth. With the development of the VASIMR engine, it is possible that we could indeed intercept the Voyager spacecraft and bring them back for museum exhibit, but right now it is most likely that many spacecraft are gone for good.
How fast did the Apollo spacecraft go?
The Apollo spacecraft traveled at speeds of about 25,000 miles per hour (40,000 km/h) to reach the Moon and during its return journey to Earth.
What was the name of the spacecraft that was to return a capsule to Earth containing samples of dust from a comet's tail?
Stardust. The spaceships name was Stardust.
Which Apollo mission was forced to return to earth after system failure?
Apollo 13 was the mission that was forced to return to Earth after a system failure. An oxygen tank explosion caused critical damage to the spacecraft, prompting the mission to be aborted. The crew and ground control worked together to problem-solve and successfully navigated the spacecraft back to Earth safely.
