NASA’s Crew-4 astronauts to return to Earth after six months in space

ORLANDO, Fla. — NASA’s SpaceX Crew-4 mission splashed down Friday afternoon.

According to WFTV, the SpaceX Dragon Freedom spacecraft carrying NASA astronauts Bob Hines, Kjell Lindgren, Jessica Watkins and European Space Agency astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti returned around 4:55 p.m.

This will complete their journey of six months in space.

The Crew-4 astronauts will also return to Earth with necessary research from the scientific investigations carried out during their six months aboard the space station.

The Dragon Freedom spacecraft was undocked from the space station at 12:05 p.m.

The Crew-4 mission launched on Apr. 27 on a Falcon 9 rocket from Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Last week, the SpaceX Crew-5 arrived at International Space Station with NASA’s Nicole Mann and Josh Cassada, Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata and Anna Kikina, Russia’s lone female cosmonaut, according to Space.com.

Kikina is the first Russian to fly on a private American spacecraft and is also the first Russian to fly on a U.S. rocket in 20 years, according to NASA.

For more information about NASA’s Commercial Crew mission, click here.

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