INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
The fourth long-duration astronaut team launched by SpaceX to the International Space Station (ISS) safely returned to Earth on Friday,
splashing down in the Atlantic Ocean off Florida after nearly six months of research aboard the orbital outpost.The SpaceX Crew Dragon
capsule dubbed Freedom, carrying three United States NASA astronauts and an Italian crewmate from the European Space Agency, parachuted
into the sea at the conclusion of a five-hour autonomous flight home from the ISS, Reuters reported.Splashdown under clear skies, at about
EDT (2055 GMT), was carried live by a joint NASA-SpaceX webcast.Freedom began its stay in orbit on April 27
The crew consisted of NASA astronaut Kjell Lindgren, 49, fellow Americans Jessica Watkins, 34, and Bob Hines, 47, as well as Italy&s
Samantha Cristoforetti, 45, who was commander of their ISS expedition
Watkins became the first African-American woman to join a long-duration ISS mission.In less than an hour, recovery teams had hoisted the
heat-scorched Crew Dragon onto a retrieval vessel before opening the capsule&s side hatch and helping the four astronauts out by one for
their first breath of fresh air in more than 24 weeks.Still garbed in their helmeted white-and-black spacesuits, their strength and balance
left shaky from 170 days of weightlessness, the four crew were assisted onto special gurneys as they waved and gave thumbs-up for
cameras.Among those greeting them on the deck of the ship was the vessel&s namesake, veteran NASA astronaut Megan McArthur.Each of the
returning astronauts was to receive a routine medical checkup aboard the ship before being flown by helicopter back to Florida.The post
SpaceX capsule splashes down, returning 4 astronauts from Space Station first appeared on Ariana News.
