The Dragon spacecraft can carry up to 7 passengers to and from Earth orbit, and beyond. It is the only spacecraft currently flying that can return significant amounts of cargo to Earth and is the first private spacecraft to take humans to the space station.
Powered by a Falcon 9 rocket, Dragon can reach speeds of up to17,500 mph (28163 km/h) as it travels into space.
On re-entry to earth, the capsule is subjected to extreme heat, up to 3,500 degrees Fahrenheit (approx. 1927 degrees C).
A special heat shield keeps the astronauts safe and protects the spacecraft from burning up. A slight heat shield failure can lead to instant disintegration and vaporization of the astronauts.
Crew 9 aboard Dragon capsule safely return to earth
source: SpaceNEWS
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