Payam Javan: After nearly eight months in space, four astronauts safely returned to Earth early Friday, following delays caused by technical issues and weather conditions. A SpaceX capsule carrying the crew landed in the Gulf of Mexico, off Florida’s coast, just before dawn, wrapping up an extended mission that began in March. The crew, made up of three Americans—Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, and Jeanette Epps—and Russian cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin, undocked from the International Space Station (ISS) mid-week, embarking on their return journey after several unplanned delays.

The astronauts’ homecoming was initially scheduled for two months ago but faced multiple setbacks. Boeing’s new Starliner astronaut capsule was unable to safely transport the crew back, returning empty in September due to safety concerns. Just as NASA rescheduled the return, Hurricane Milton and subsequent weather issues prolonged their wait, with two weeks of high winds and rough seas keeping the astronauts in orbit even longer. Despite the challenges, the crew expressed gratitude for the teams that supported their journey, adjusting mission plans as needed.

The ISS is now back to its usual complement of seven crewmembers, four Americans and three Russians, ensuring continuous research and operations. Replacing the returning crew are astronauts Wilmore and Williams, the two Starliner test pilots whose brief mission extended to eight months, along with two SpaceX-launched astronauts who joined four weeks ago. The new team will stay until February, maintaining the station’s global collaboration in space research and exploration.