If you happen to live in the desert near Coolidge, Ariz. and saw something red and white falling from the sky recently, don't be alarmed.
It wasn't a UFO — it was just SpaceX testing out the parachute system it plans to use to land its manned Crew Dragon spacecraft back on Earth. The private spacecraft maker recently conducted its first successful test of the system as part of its final development and certification work with NASA's Commercial Crew Program, the space agency announced Wednesday.
SpaceX, which is working with NASA to build a spacecraft that will take astronauts to the ISS, carried out the test with a "mass simulator" that replicates the weight and shape of the spacecraft, connected to four red-and-white parachutes. The team released the simulated Crew Dragon and parachute system from thousands of feet above the ground from a C-130 cargo aircraft.
The test was meant to evaluate the four main parachutes, but did not include the so-called drogue chutes the full landing system will utilize.
"Later tests will grow progressively more realistic to simulate as much of the actual conditions and processes the system will see during an operational mission," NASA said.
The idea is that the spacecraft will initially splash down to safety in the ocean under parachutes. SpaceX ultimately, however, wants to land the vessel upright on solid ground using eight SuperDraco engines. The company tested its propulsive landing system in Texas this past November.
For a peek at the parachute test, check out the video below.
This article originally appeared on PCMag.com.