Four astronauts returned to Earth on Thursday after an eight-month mission aboard the International Space Station, ending a stay that began in February and stretched longer than planned.
SpaceX brought NASA's Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, France's Sophie Adenot, and Russia's Andrey Fedyaev back with a splashdown in the Pacific off the coast of Los Angeles. All four were out of their capsule within an hour, waving and pumping their fists aboard SpaceX's recovery ship before heading to shore by helicopter and then on to Houston.
The crew left the planet in February to replace four station occupants who were sent home early after one of them — NASA's Mike Fincke, now retired — fell ill. That made the mission part rescue, part rotation, and part reminder that the International Space Station still depends on a small number of highly trained people to keep the outpost running.
Their replacements arrived three weeks late because of capsule repairs, which delayed the homecoming. Meir said over the radio moments after splashdown: 'We are so excited to be back on Planet Earth after an incredible mission on the International Space Station.' While still in orbit, she said the crew had 'a lot of mixed, swirling emotions' and would miss the 'extraordinary views of our home planet.'
The numbers come first. The station has welcomed 298 visitors from 26 countries since 2000, according to NASA's count, and seven astronauts remain aboard representing the U.S., Russia and Canada.
The mission also had the lighter details that make spaceflight feel human. Meir took part in four spacewalks, while Adenot went outside three times for maintenance and upgrades to the 28-year-old outpost. The crew even found time for a dance party and cooking demonstrations.
Hathaway also kept his bushy mustache — a space rarity — groomed to perfection. He grew the naval aviator-style mustache before rocketing into orbit as a way to honor his Navy ties. He said it had become 'a little bit of my brand up here' and that he did not know whether it would go away right away or stay for a while.
The market has already voted on the broader lesson here: space remains a feat of engineering, logistics, and capital discipline. Every smooth recovery reflects rules, precision, and systems that work. Power leaves a paper trail, and in this case the trail ends with a clean splashdown.
