Amazing footage of Dragon capsule returning to Earth like a blazing meteor

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Footage shows the SpaceX Dragon capsule returning safely to Earth like a blazing meteor visible from San Francisco, U.S, on on Thursday Jan 15, 2026. The capsule lands on the Pacific Ocean off San Diego in their SpaceX Dragon capsule after a nearly 10-hour journey from the International Space Station on Thursday Jan 15, 2026 after 167 days in the space, marking the first early departure from the International Space Station due to a medical issue, according to NASA and SpaceX. NASA said on Thursday, Jan. 8, that it decided to bring home the four astronauts of SpaceX’s Crew-11 mission ahead of schedule after one crewmember experienced a medical issue while in orbit. Agency officials stressed that the astronaut is in stable condition and that there is no cause for alarm. The return marks the first medical evacuation in the history of the International Space Station, which has hosted continuous rotating crews since November 2000. SpaceX confirmed the successful splashdown and welcomed the crew back to Earth, as recovery teams moved in to secure the capsule. NASA said further medical evaluations will be conducted as part of standard post-mission procedures. The International Space Station remains operational, and officials said the early return does not affect ongoing station activities. The crew are NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov.