Crew-5 astronauts return to Earth after 5 months in space

() — The four astronauts that make up the Crew-5 crew aboard the International Space Station returned home this Saturday after a five-month stay in space and splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico.

SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule disembarked from the space station at 2:20 a.m. ET; the final leg of the astronauts journey. The spacecraft then maneuvered back to Earth before plunging back into the atmosphere to splash down off the coast of Tampa, Florida, just after 9 p.m. ET on Saturday.

Rescue ships awaited the team’s arrival, ready to lift the capsule out of the ocean and allow the crew to disembark, giving the astronauts their first breath of fresh air in nearly 160 days.

The four crew members, NASA astronauts Nicole Mann and Josh Cassada, astronaut Koichi Wakata of JAXA, or the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, and cosmonaut Anna Kikina of the Russian space agency Roscosmos, launched into the space station aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule last October. They have spent the last few months conducting research experiments and keeping up with the maintenance of the two-decade-old orbiting laboratory.

Additionally, during the days leading up to their departure, the Crew-5 astronauts handed over operations to the Crew-6 team, which arrived at the space station on March 3.

Meet the crew

Mann, a registered member of the Wailacki Tribe of the Round Valley Reservation, became the first woman Native American to travel to orbit. Like the other astronauts, she dedicated time on her trip to public outreach, some of which focused on inspiring indigenous children. During a disclosure event In November 2022, Mann displayed a dream catcher, a traditional Native American totem meant to ward off bad dreams, which he brought with him to the space station.

Ace #NativeAmericanHeritageMonth come to a close, we wondered… as @NASA_Astronauts first Native American crewmember on the @Space_Stationdid @AstroDuke bring anything with her as a reminder of her tribal heritage? Watch the clip to find out! pic.twitter.com/sofD8FIBN3

—NASA STEM (@NASASTEM) November 30, 2022

“I am very proud to represent Native Americans and my heritage,” Mann told reporters before the launch. “I think it’s important to celebrate our diversity and also to realize how important it is when we collaborate and come together, what incredible accomplishments we can have.”

Kikina’s participation in this flight occurred as part of a shared ride agreement between the NASA and Roscosmos in July 2022. Despite geopolitical tensions between the United States and Russia as the war in Ukraine escalates, NASA has repeatedly said that its partnership with Roscosmos is vital to continuing space station operations and valuable research. science that takes place on board.

The trip marked the first trip to space for Mann, Cassada and Kikina.

Wakata previously flew on NASA’s space shuttle flights and Russia’s Soyuz spacecraft. This trip was the fifth spaceflight mission for the Japanese astronaut.