Video: SpaceX Dragon Parachute Deploy And Splashdown (May 31, 2012)

 This video is still nothing like the fancy one from the 2010 helicopter test drop and splashdown of the SpaceX Dragon, but it's waaaay better than the first video released of the actual and historic return from space of Dragon on May 31st. This video begins with Dragon descending at a fairly high rate of speed with the two drogue chutes out. These drogues help slow the spacecraft down, keep it stabilized in preparation for the big parachutes to deploy, and then they are used to extract those big parachutes.

 I was raised around parachutes and skydiving so I find the opportunity to watch the main parachute deployment to be ultra cool. It's especially important here too because a proper deployment of the parachutes was a critical last benchmark for making this SpaceX demonstration flight to the ISS so successful. And while I don't know the details of the reefing system (a system used to dramatically slow the inflation of a parachute to prevent damage to the parachute and/or the payload) you can clearly see that the area where the lines attach to the parachutes is held to a rather small size for 15 to 20 seconds before the parachutes are finally allowed to inflate freely. The reduction in airspeed during that time of reefing is significant... and it appears that the system worked very well.

 The video continues to splashdown, tho it's not very clear to see when that happens. Additional videos may eventually be released but at least this one shows some very critical systems working exactly as needed. Again I say to the people at SpaceX - Bravo! 

 Description of the video from the ReelNASA youtube page:  During the reentry of SpaceX's Dragon capsule, NASA and the United States Navy flew a P-3 Orion Cast Glance aircraft to capture airborne views of the spacecraft's descent. The aircraft, based at the Navy's VX-30 squadron at the Naval Air Station Point Mugu, Calif., was able to record Dragon's reentry, parachute chute deployment and the capsule in the water. Dragon splashed down at 11:42 a.m. EDT on May 31 in the Pacific Ocean, more than 560 miles off the coast of Baja California. During its mission, Dragon became the first commercial spacecraft the rendezvous and berth with the International Space Station, paving the way for future commercial cargo delivery flights.

Video screenshot of the SpaceX Dragon successfully returning to Earth May 31, 2012