Four astronauts return to Earth after six months on space station

world
Four Astronauts Return To Earth After Six Months On Space Station
SpaceX-Crew Return, © AP/Press Association Images
Share this article

By Associated Press Reporters

Four astronauts have returned to Earth in a SpaceX capsule at the end of a nearly six-month space station mission, splashing down in the Atlantic off Florida.

Wet and windy weather delayed their homecoming but SpaceX and Nasa finally gave the all-clear on Friday, and the three Americans and one Italian departed the International Space Station, which has been their residence since April.

Advertisement

The capsule parachuted into the ocean, just off Jacksonville, about five hours after it left the space station.


SpaceX-Crew Return
A SpaceX capsule carried the astronauts back to Earth (Bill Ingalls/NASA via AP)

It carried Nasa astronauts Kjell Lindgren, Bob Hines and Jessica Watkins, the first black woman to complete a long-term space flight, and the European Space Agency’s Samantha Cristoforetti. SpaceX delivered their replacements last week.

Advertisement

Before leaving, the astronauts said they could not wait to have a cold drink with ice, eat some pizza and ice cream, take a shower, revel in nature and, of course, reunite with their families.

“Getting the first few hugs when we get back is really going to be awesome,” Mr Hines told reporters earlier in the week.

Remaining aboard the space station are three Americans, three Russians and one Japanese.

Read More

Message submitting... Thank you for waiting.

Want us to email you top stories each lunch time?

Download our Apps
© BreakingNews.ie 2024, developed by Square1 and powered by PublisherPlus.com