Five Astronauts Begin Journey Home After Five Months on Space Station
An international crew of five astronauts started their return trip to Earth aboard a SpaceX capsule on Friday, concluding nearly five months aboard the International Space Station (ISS).
The Crew-10 team, including US astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, Japan’s Takuya Onishi, and Russian cosmonaut Kirill Peskov, are expected to spend over 17 hours in the capsule before safely splashing down off the coast of California at 15:33 GMT on Saturday.
This mission marks the 10th crew rotation under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, which partners with private companies like SpaceX to continue human spaceflight after the Space Shuttle era.
Elon Musk’s Dragon capsule detached from the ISS at 22:15 GMT on Friday, beginning its descent back to Earth. The capsule’s re-entry will be slowed by atmospheric friction and parachutes to ensure a smooth landing. Following splashdown, the crew will be retrieved by a SpaceX recovery ship and brought safely aboard.
During their stay, Crew-10 conducted various scientific experiments, including studies on plant growth and cellular responses to gravity.
Their March launch received significant attention as it allowed two US astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams—who were unexpectedly stranded on the ISS for nine months due to a Boeing Starliner propulsion failure—to finally return home.
Wilmore recently announced his retirement after 25 years at NASA.
Meanwhile, a new team of astronauts, including US crew members Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, Japan’s Kimiya Yui, and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Platonov, arrived at the ISS last week for a six-month mission.
