Four astronauts, including two from NASA, one from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and one from Russia’s Roscosmos, have safely returned to Earth after completing their first long-duration spaceflight on the International Space Station (ISS). The crew, known as SpaceX’s Crew-6, splashed down in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Jacksonville, Florida on Monday at 12:17 a.m. EDT.
The Crew-6 astronauts, Stephen Bowen, Warren “Woody” Hoburg, Sultan AlNeyadi, and Andrey Fedyaev, had been on a 186-day mission serving as flight engineers for Expeditions 68 and 69. Bowen is the only crew member who had prior spaceflight experience. During a farewell ceremony aboard the ISS, Bowen expressed his gratitude for the incredible experience and the opportunity to observe his fellow crewmates’ growth.
Originally scheduled to return on Sunday morning, the crew had to extend their stay in orbit due to unfavorable weather conditions. However, the delay did not dampen their spirits as they reflected on their accomplishments during their time on the ISS. Warren highlighted the various missions they participated in, including cargo flights, spacewalks, and maintenance tasks, emphasizing their dedication to leaving the space station in an improved state.
For AlNeyadi, his first long-duration flight holds broader significance as he became the first Arab and Emirati to embark on such a mission. This flight not only allowed him to showcase the advancements in the UAE’s space program but also served as an inspiration for the region. AlNeyadi played a part in symbolizing this achievement by choosing a plush doll of the UAE astronaut program’s mascot, “Suhail,” as the Crew-6 zero-g indicator.
Fedyaev’s return to Earth made history as he became the first Russian man to purposely land in water. This arrangement was made possible through a seat swap agreement between NASA and Roscosmos. SpaceX recovery boats, including one named after NASA astronaut Megan McArthur, were promptly on hand to retrieve the Dragon spacecraft and its crew from the water.
With Crew-6 safely back on Earth, Expedition 69 on the ISS continues with a team comprising NASA astronauts Frank Rubio and Jasmin Moghbeli, European Space Agency astronaut Andreas Mogensen, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Satoshi Furukawa, and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev, Dmitry Petelin, and Konstantin Borisov. Expedition 70 will commence once Russia’s Soyuz MS-23 spacecraft departs the station in late September.
The Crew-6 mission marks SpaceX’s sixth crew rotation flight for NASA, the seventh crewed spaceflight in support of the U.S. space agency, and the ninth human spaceflight in the company’s history. The Dragon spacecraft “Endeavour” has played a significant role in these missions, previously being involved in the Demo-2, Crew-2, and Axiom-1 missions.
As the Crew-6 astronauts readjust to life on Earth, their successful return represents another milestone in space exploration and serves as a testament to the continuous progress being made in human spaceflight.