Four astronauts returned to Earth in a SpaceX capsule Friday, ending their almost six-month house station mission with a splashdown within the Atlantic off Florida.
Wet and windy climate throughout Florida delayed their homecoming. SpaceX and NASA lastly gave the all-clear on Friday, and the three Americans and one Italian departed the International Space Station, their residence since April.
The capsule parachuted into the ocean, simply off Jacksonville, Florida, about 5 hours later. It carried NASA astronauts Kjell Lindgren, Bob Hines and Jessica Watkins, the primary Black lady to full a long-term spaceflight, and the European Space Agency’s Samantha Cristoforetti. SpaceX delivered their replacements final week.
Before trying out, the astronauts stated they couldn’t wait to have a chilly drink with ice, eat some pizza and ice cream, take a bathe, experience nature and, in fact, reunite with their households. NASA deliberate to hustle them to Houston as soon as they had been off SpaceX’s restoration ship and back on strong floor.
“Getting the first few hugs when we get back is really going to be awesome,” Mr. Hines instructed reporters earlier within the week.
Remaining aboard the house station are three Americans, three Russians and one Japanese.
