Four astronauts back on Earth after eight months on the International Space Station
Four astronauts from the US, France and Russia splashed down in the Pacific off Los Angeles aboard a SpaceX capsule. They had gone to the station in February to replace a crew sent home early due to illness.
Four International Space Station crew members returned safely to Earth on Thursday. A SpaceX capsule carrying US, French and Russian astronauts splashed down in the Pacific Ocean off the California coast near Los Angeles.
Nasa's Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, France's Sophie Adenot and Russia's Andrey Fedyaev left the orbiting laboratory on Wednesday. They were eager to see their families after a long separation. Their replacements reached the station three weeks later than planned because of capsule repairs, which delayed this crew's journey home.
First reactions
The astronauts said they most looked forward to feeling the breeze on their faces and taking a shower, while Adenot also wanted to get back to water sports. Shortly after splashdown, Meir said by radio that the crew was thrilled to be back on Earth after an incredible mission. While still in orbit, she said the team felt many mixed emotions and would miss the extraordinary views of the home planet.
Mission background
Meir and her colleagues travelled to the station in February to replace four occupants who were brought home early after one of them, Nasa's Mike Fincke, who has since retired, fell ill. It was Nasa's first medical evacuation in 65 years of human spaceflight.
Meir carried out four spacewalks during the mission, while Adenot went outside three times for maintenance and upgrades to the 28-year-old station.
Seven astronauts remain aboard, representing the US, Russia and Canada. According to Nasa, the station has hosted 298 visitors from 26 countries since 2000.
