In the early hours of this Tuesday, March 12, four astronauts International Space Station (ISS) They returned to Earth marking the end of a six-month journey that covered 3,184 orbits and approximately 135.9 million kilometers.

capsule Team Dragon “tolerance”It carried the commander's crew Jasmine Mokbeliastronaut European Space Agency Andreas MogensenThe Japanese Satoshi Furukawa And astronaut Konstantin Borisovtouched the water Gulf of Mexico to the south Pensacola, Florida05:47 am Eastern Time, the news agency confirmed Associated Press.

return “home” It started on Monday “tolerance” departed from International Space Station. A group of Crew 7After saying goodbye to his colleagues ISSAfter 13.5 minutes of thruster ignition, they slowed down to about 341 kilometers per hour, plotting their path to Earth under a delicate automated process that prepared them to enter the atmosphere and descend quietly towards the planet's surface.

Meanwhile, the transfer ceremony of the Collector was held ISSWhere Mogensen Responsibility is shifted Oleg Kononenko, is now celebrated for achieving the overall time record of 916 days apart. “No one is more experienced than you when it comes to the International Space Station. I leave it in better hands,” he revealed Mogensen. KononenkoIn 916 days in the universe, heading towards 1,000 day markAnd by the end of his current mission, he will have surpassed three years in space.

Meanwhile, the ISS The team was welcomed Crew 8It came on board Soyuz MS-24/70S In September 2023. This new group was formed Matthew Dominique, Michael Barratt, Jeanette Epps And Alexander GrebenkinJoined the existing residents Oleg Kononenko, Nikolai Sub And astronaut NASA Laurel O'Hara.

On March 21, the Soyuz MS-25/71S with Oleg NowitzkiGuest astronaut Belarus Marina Vasilevskaya And astronaut NASA Tracy Tyson On board, another employee turnover is indicated A pillar of scientific research in Earth orbit.

During the atmospheric reentry, the capsule follows a path from the west to the southeast of the United States, giving visitors an extended path. Nebraska up to MississippiA chance to see the ship like a shooting star.

The mission culminated with a soft landing under the conditions Calm winds and smooth seas, thanks to the drag provided by four large parachutes. “It was a fascinating trip and the return was no less interesting.,” the rescue team noted SpaceXThe company behind the feat quickly got the crew and capsule to safety aboard their rescue ship.

Accordingly CBS NewsFifty minutes after splashdown, the astronauts were carried away on stretchers for initial medical examinations, a normal procedure for those returning from extended stays in microgravity. All four appeared in good health and spirits as they began to readjust to gravity.