After spending nearly eight months at the International Space Station, four astronauts safely returned to Earth on Friday. Their return was delayed due to issues with Boeing’s Starliner capsule and Hurricane Milton.
The crew, consisting of three Americans and one Russian, landed in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Florida in a SpaceX capsule. They were supposed to return two months earlier but faced setbacks including the safety concerns with the Starliner capsule and adverse weather conditions caused by Hurricane Milton.
Support teams work around the SpaceX Dragon Endeavour spacecraft shortly after it landed, in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Pensacola, Fla., on Oct. 25, 2024. NASA/Joel Kowsky via AP
The astronauts, including NASA’s Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, and Jeanette Epps, and Russia’s Alexander Grebenkin, were launched by SpaceX in March. Barratt expressed gratitude for the support teams who had to adapt to the challenges faced during the mission.
Their replacements, Starliner test pilots Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, along with two astronauts launched by SpaceX, will continue the mission until February. The space station’s crew size is now back to normal with seven members, consisting of four Americans and three Russians.
By Marcia Dunn
