Four astronauts return to Earth after eight months in space

Four astronauts returned to Earth on Thursday after spending eight months aboard the International Space Station. A “SpaceX” capsule brought the crew back with a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Los Angeles, The Associated Press reported.

NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, France’s Sophie Adenot and Russia’s Andrey Fedyaev left the orbital outpost on Wednesday. Their replacements arrived three weeks behind schedule because of capsule repairs, delaying the crew’s return.

The four had travelled to the station in February to replace a crew sent home early after one of its members, NASA’s now-retired Mike Fincke, fell ill. The incident prompted NASA’s first medical evacuation in 65 years of human spaceflight.

While in orbit, the astronauts watched the Artemis II crew fly around the moon and marked the United States’ 250th birthday. Meir joined the Boston Pops with her piccolo for a Fourth of July concert.

Meir completed four spacewalks, while Adenot went outside three times to carry out maintenance and upgrades to the 28-year-old station. The crew also held cooking demonstrations and a dance party during their mission.

Seven astronauts remain aboard the station, representing the United States, Russia and Canada. NASA says the outpost has hosted 298 visitors from 26 countries since it opened in 2000.