Silke Jasso
On Saturday, four astronauts who spent five months at the International Space Station returned to Earth after a quick SpaceX flight home. Their capsule splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico near the Florida coast. During their mission, the U.S.-Russian-Japanese crew had to navigate around space debris and address issues with a pair of leaking Russian capsules that were attached to the space station. They also had to oversee the delivery of a replacement craft for the station’s other crew members.
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Nicole Mann, a NASA astronaut and the first Native American woman to fly in space, led the four-person crew as they checked out of the International Space Station. 19 hours later, their Dragon capsule was seen bobbing in the sea as they awaited pickup.
NASA’s SpaceX Crew-5 Mission Splashdown
Due to high wind and waves in the designated splashdown zones, the crew had to stay a few extra days at the space station before departing. However, their replacements arrived over a week ago. Mann expressed her excitement to return to Earth saying she “couldn’t wait to feel the wind on her face, smell fresh grass and enjoy some delicious Earth food.”
Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata had a craving for sushi, while Russian cosmonaut Anna Kikina longed to drink hot tea “from a real cup, not from a plastic bag.”
As for NASA astronaut Josh Cassada, his to-do list included getting a rescue dog for his family. “Please don’t tell our two cats,” he joked before departing the space station.
Three Americans, three Russians, and one person from the United Arab Emirates remain at the space station.
Wakata, a spaceflight veteran from Japan, has now spent more than 500 days in space over five missions, dating back to NASA’s shuttle era.
Welcome home, you brave astronauts!
