Astronauts return to Earth with SpaceX, splash down off San Diego after 5 months at International Space Station
Share this @internewscast.com

Four astronauts made their journey back to Earth on Saturday after rushing to the International Space Station five months prior to relieve Boeing’s Starliner test pilots, who were stranded.

Their SpaceX capsule parachuted into the Pacific off the Southern California coast a day after departing the orbiting lab.

The team consisting of NASA’s Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, Japan’s Takuya Onishi, and Russia’s Kirill Peskov splashed down safely. They had been launched in March as substitutes for the two NASA astronauts associated with Starliner’s failed demo mission.

Issues with Starliner kept Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams at the space station for over nine months instead of the planned week. Consequently, NASA commanded Boeing’s crew capsule to return unoccupied and transferred the team to SpaceX. Following McClain and her crew’s arrival, Wilmore and Williams departed. Wilmore has since retired from NASA.

Before leaving the space station on Friday, McClain made note of “some tumultuous times on Earth” with people struggling.

“We want this mission, our mission, to be a reminder of what people can do when we work together, when we explore together,” she said.

Once back home in Houston, McClain anticipated “doing nothing for a couple of days.” Her teammates were eager for hot showers and juicy burgers.

This marked SpaceX’s third Pacific splashdown with individuals aboard, although it was NASA’s first such operation in 50 years. Elon Musk’s company shifted capsule landings from Florida to California earlier in the year to minimize debris risks in populated regions. The initial back-to-back private crews experienced Pacific returns.

The previous occasion for NASA astronauts to return from space to the Pacific was the 1975 Apollo-Soyuz mission, which showcased a détente between American and Soviet space teams.

Copyright © 2025 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
Manchester Mosque Hires Sharia Law Administrator

Manchester Mosque Appoints Sharia Law Coordinator

England is quietly becoming the Western capital of Sharia law courts —…
Student uproar erupts at elite college after professor put on leave over ties to far-left gun club

Elite College in Turmoil as Professor’s Suspension Linked to Far-Left Gun Club Sparks Student Protests

The community at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill gathered…
Israeli military arrests Greta Thunberg, flotilla activists after intercepting dozens of boats

The Israeli military detains Greta Thunberg and activists from a flotilla after stopping multiple boats.

Israeli naval forces intercepted 39 vessels from a Gaza-bound aid flotilla on…
'9-1-1' season nine preview: Mark Consuelos sends two beloved members of the 118 to space, chaos ensues

Preview of ‘9-1-1’ Season Nine: Mark Consuelos Sends Two Favorite Characters from the 118 Unit into Space, Leading to Mayhem

“9-1-1” fans, it looks like season nine is going to be out…
10-time Olympic medalist Caeleb Dressel joining Sporting JAX Aquatic Club

Olympic Superstar Caeleb Dressel Joins Sporting JAX Aquatic Club

Dressel, hailing from Green Cove Springs, is about to reconnect with one…
Manchester synagogue car and stabbing attack leaves at least 2 dead on Yom Kippur

Car and stabbing attack at Manchester synagogue on Yom Kippur results in at least two fatalities

A brutal car and knife attack near a UK synagogue on Yom…
Missing woman's body found behind secret attic entrance in Northern California home

Remains of Missing Woman Discovered Behind Hidden Attic Door in Northern California House

Police say they found the body of a missing woman behind a…
Palmdale Street shooting on Jacksonville's Northwest side leaves man dead

Search Underway for 2 Suspects After Line Street Shooting Incident

A man in his 20s was walking along Line Street when two…
Friday Flyover: Lindblom High School

Friday Aerial View: Lindblom High School Learns to Soar

VILLA PARK, Ill. (WLS) — This week, we feature Lindblom High School…
Hispanic Heritage Month: Chicago fire station transformed into Yollocalli art museum in Little Village

Hispanic Heritage Month: Chicago Fire Station Converted into Yollocalli Art Museum in Little Village

CHICAGO (WLS) — A former fire station in Chicago has been transformed…
Lydia Kaiser returns to school after Annunciation shooting

Lydia Kaiser Resumes School After Shooting Incident at Annunciation

Lydia Kaiser, 12, was shot while trying to protect a younger student.…
Chicago Drives Electric event returns to Oakbrook Terrace in October with Chicago Automobile Trade Association

Chicago’s Electric Vehicle Event Returns to Oakbrook Terrace This October With Support from the Chicago Automobile Trade Association

CHICAGO (WLS) — The Chicago Drives Electric event in Oakbrook Terrace is…