by The capsule of the SpaceX Dragon Endurance spacecraft, slowed by parachutes, approaches the surface of the waters of the Gulf of Mexico off Tampa, Florida, as it returns to Earth with Expedition 68 Flight Engineers Anna Kikina of Roscosmos, Josh Cassada and Nicole Mann of NASA and Koichi Wakata of JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) after a five-month mission to the International Space Station, Saturday, March 11, 2023. Credit: Keegan Barber/NASA via AP
Four space station astronauts returned to Earth late Saturday after a quick SpaceX flight home.
Their capsule crashed into the Gulf of Mexico just off the coast of Florida near Tampa.
The US-Russia-Japan crew spent five months on the International Space Station, arriving last October. In addition to avoiding space junk, the astronauts had to deal with a pair of Russian capsules that leaked into the orbital outpost and the urgent delivery of a replacement craft for the other members of the station’s crew.
Led by NASA’s Nicole Mann, the first Native American woman to fly in space, the astronauts left the station early Saturday morning. Less than 19 hours later, their Dragon capsule exploded into the sea as they awaited pickup.
Earlier in the week, strong wind and waves in the collapse zones kept them on station for a few extra days. Their replacements arrived more than a week ago.
“It was a good ride,” Mann said moments after the splashdown. “We’re glad to be home.”
Mann, a member of Northern California’s Wailacki Indian Tribes of the Round Valley, said she was looking forward to feeling the wind on her face, smelling fresh grass and enjoying delicious earthy foods.
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The SpaceX Dragon Endurance spacecraft is seen as it lands with NASA astronauts Nicole Mann and Josh Cassada, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Koichi Wakata and Roscosmos cosmonaut Anna Kikina in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Tampa, Florida , March 11, 2023. The team returns after a five-month mission to the International Space Station. Credit: Keegan Barber/NASA via AP
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In this image from video released by NASA, a SpaceX capsule, slowed by parachutes, approaches the surface of the waters of the Gulf of Mexico off Tampa, Florida, as it returns to Earth on Expedition 68 Flight Engineers Anna Kikina of Roscosmos. Josh Cassada and Nicole Mann of NASA and Koichi Wakata of JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) after a five-month mission to the International Space Station, Saturday, March 11, 2023. Credit: NASA via AP
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SpaceX astronauts, row from left, Josh Cassada, Nicole Mann, second row from left, Russian cosmonaut Anna Kikina and Japan Aerospace Exploration astronaut Koichi Wakata leave the Operations and Checkout building before heading to the Launch Pad 39-A at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, for a mission to the International Space Station Wednesday, October 5, 2022. The four are scheduled to return to Earth on Sunday, March 12, 2023, after five months on the International Space Station . Credit: AP Photo/John Raoux, File
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In this photo provided by NASA, clockwise from left, Expedition 68 flight engineers Anna Kikina of Roscosmos, Josh Cassada and Nicole Mann of NASA, and Koichi Wakata of JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) gather for a portrait inside Kibo of the International Space Station. laboratory module on March 1, 2023. The four are scheduled to return to Earth on Sunday, March 12 after five months on the International Space Station. Credit: NASA via AP
Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata craved sushi, while Russian cosmonaut Anna Kikina longed to drink hot tea “from a real cup, not a plastic bag.”
NASA astronaut Josh Cassada’s 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.
Back on the space station remain three Americans, three Russians and one from the United Arab Emirates.
Wakata, Japan’s spaceflight champion, has now logged more than 500 days in space on five missions dating back to NASA’s shuttle era.
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Reference: Four astronauts fly SpaceX back home, end of 5-month mission (2023, March 12) Retrieved March 12, 2023, from https://phys.org/news/2023-03-astronauts-fly-spacex-home-month. html
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