Nasa-SpaceX crew splash down off Florida coast after six-month ISS mission

During ISS stay, astronauts conducted muscle loss research and tested the first peppers cultivated in space

Four astronauts on board the SpaceX Crew Dragon space capsule splashed down off the coast of Florida on Tuesday, returning to Earth after spending about six months on the International Space Station (ISS).

The SpaceX vehicle, Endeavour, carrying the Crew-2 team — only the second team Nasa has launched back to Earth from the ISS aboard a SpaceX capsule — made the splash down around 3.30am GMT, parachuting into the Gulf of Mexico.

After undocking from the ISS, the spacecraft began its eight-hour journey on Monday, beginning with a fly-around of the space station, snapping pictures of its exterior.

After a series of manoeuvres orbiting the Earth, the spacecraft lit up its thrusters, streaking through the atmosphere like a meteor, and deploying its parachutes before splashing down into the Gulf of Mexico.

The astronauts — Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur of Nasa, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s Aki Hoshide, and European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Pesquet — completed 199 days aboard the space station.

SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule deploying parachutes for splashdown (Nasa)

During their six-month mission, the astronauts conducted a series of science experiments, such as muscle loss research in zero gravity and testing the first peppers cultivated in space.

They have carried back to Earth about 530 pounds of hardware and scientific investigations.

The astronauts cultivated peppers aboard the International Space Station for the first time (Nasa)

The crew also overcame a number of hurdles during their stay aboard the ISS, including the misfiring of the Russian module attached to the space station which briefly pushed it out of position.

The ride back home was also met with challenges as a plumbing leak aboard the Crew Dragon capsule put its toilet out of order and the astronauts had to rely on adult diapers during their eight-hour journey.

While Nasa had planned for a “Crew 3” team to fly in as replacements to the space station at the end of October, weather problems and an undisclosed medical issue in one of the four crew members, have postponed the launch.