Four Astronauts Return Home Safely After Nearly Five Months on Space Station

An international crew of four astronauts returned safely to Earth on Saturday after spending nearly five months aboard the International Space Station (ISS). They splashed down off the coast of California inside a SpaceX capsule.

Crew Members and Splashdown Details

The returning astronauts included US nationals Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, Japan’s Takuya Onishi, and Russian cosmonaut Kirill Peskov. Their capsule touched down at 8:44 am local time (15:34 GMT).

This mission concluded the 10th crew rotation under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, which partners with private industry to succeed the Space Shuttle era

The SpaceX Dragon Capsule and Re-entry

Elon Musk’s SpaceX Dragon capsule detached from the ISS at 22:15 GMT on Friday. As it re-entered Earth’s atmosphere, the spacecraft heated up to approximately 3,500°F (1,925°C), as NASA reported.

Huge parachutes deployed as the capsule approached Earth, slowing its descent. After splashdown, a SpaceX recovery ship retrieved the capsule and hoisted it aboard. The astronauts were then able to breathe Earth’s atmosphere for the first time in months.

The crew will now fly to Houston to reunite with their families.

Scientific Work on the ISS

During their mission, the astronauts conducted various scientific experiments, including:

• Studying plant growth in microgravity
• Observing cellular reactions to gravity changes
• Examining the effects of microgravity on human eyes

Reflections and Remarks

NASA’s acting Administrator Sean Duffy praised the mission’s success:

“Our crew missions are the building blocks for long-duration, human exploration pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.”

Anne McClain described her departure from the ISS as “bittersweet” since she may never return. She emphasised the global cooperation involved:

“Every day, this mission depends on people from all over the world. It depends on government and commercial entities, all political parties, and commitment to an unchanged goal over many years and decades.

NASA Workforce and Future Missions

Last month, NASA announced plans to reduce its workforce by approximately 20%, cutting around 3,900 employees as part of US President Donald Trump’s broader federal workforce trimming effort.

Despite these cuts, Trump has prioritised crewed missions to the Moon and Mars.

Background: The Crew-10 Launch and Previous Delays

The Crew-10 mission launched in March and helped return two US astronauts to Earth after they had been unexpectedly stranded aboard the ISS for nine months.

In June 2024, astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams were scheduled for an eight-day test flight of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft. However, propulsion issues with the Starliner rendered it unfit for return, extending their stay indefinitely.

Wilmore announced his retirement from NASA this week after 25 years of service.

New Crew Arrivals

Last week, new crew members — US astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, Japan’s Kimiya Yui, and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Platonov — arrived at the ISS for a six-month mission.