▁Based ▁on ▁this ▁theory , ▁re entry ▁vehicles ▁present ▁bl unt ▁shapes ▁to ▁the ▁atmosphere ▁for ▁re entry . ▁Bl unt ▁shapes ▁mean ▁that ▁less ▁than ▁ 1 % ▁of ▁the ▁kin etic ▁energy ▁ends ▁up ▁as ▁heat ▁that ▁reaches ▁the ▁vehicle , ▁and ▁the ▁remainder ▁he ats ▁up ▁the ▁atmosphere . ▁ ▁Land ing ▁ ▁The ▁Mercur y , ▁Gem ini , ▁and ▁Apol lo ▁caps ules ▁all ▁spl ashed ▁down ▁in ▁the ▁sea . ▁These ▁caps ules ▁were ▁designed ▁to ▁land ▁at ▁relatively ▁low ▁spe eds ▁with ▁the ▁help ▁of ▁a ▁par ach ute . ▁Russian ▁caps ules ▁for ▁So y uz ▁make ▁use ▁of ▁a ▁big ▁par ach ute ▁and ▁bra king ▁rock ets ▁to ▁touch ▁down ▁on ▁land . ▁The ▁Space ▁Sh utt le ▁gl ided ▁to ▁a ▁touch down ▁like ▁a ▁plane . ▁ ▁Rec overy ▁ ▁After ▁a ▁successful ▁landing ▁the ▁space craft , ▁its ▁occup ants ▁and ▁cargo ▁can ▁be ▁recovered . ▁In ▁some ▁cases , ▁recovery ▁has ▁occurred ▁before ▁landing : ▁while ▁a ▁space craft ▁is ▁still ▁desc ending ▁on ▁its ▁par ach ute , ▁it ▁can ▁be ▁sn ag ged ▁by ▁a ▁spe cially ▁designed ▁aircraft . ▁This ▁mid - air ▁retr ieval ▁technique ▁was ▁used ▁to ▁recover ▁the ▁film ▁can ister s ▁from ▁the ▁Cor ona ▁sp y ▁sat ell ites . ▁ ▁Types ▁ ▁Un cre wed ▁▁ ▁Un cre wed ▁space fl ight ▁is ▁all ▁space fl ight ▁activity ▁without ▁a ▁necessary ▁human ▁presence ▁in ▁space . ▁This ▁includes ▁all ▁space