Four astronauts from four different countries returned to Earth on Tuesday after spending six months in orbit at the International Space Station.
NASA astronaut and Marine helicopter pilot Jasmin Moghbeli led a team that featured Andreas Mogensen of Denmark, Satoshi Furukawa of Japan, and Russia's Konstantin Borisov.
The foursome arrived at the International Space Station in August of last year, and their replacement arrived just last week in a SpaceX capsule.
The return capsule splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Florida.
"We left you some peanut butter and tortillas," Moghbeli radioed after departing the orbiting complex on Monday. Replied NASA astronaut Loral O'Hara: "I miss you guys already and thanks for that very generous gift."
O'Hara is slated to return to Earth in a few weeks aboard a Soyuz space capsule. Mogenson waxed nostalgically for the sound of birds on X, formerly known as Twitter, before entering the SpaceX vehicle for the return trip.
He also craved crunchy food, which is less than desirable in weightless environments due to the possibility of crumbs getting caught up in sensitive instruments.
Living and traveling in the void of space is still an arduous task for modern astronauts. However, NASA has relied on SpaceX, Soyuz, and other options since the space shuttle program was retired in 2011.
It was the first United States space launch in which each seat aboard the spacecraft was occupied by a different country. In the past, NASA had included two or three of its own astronauts aboard SpaceX's so-called taxi flights.
NASA is currently working on its reusable space capsule, but it's now two years overdue. Problems with parachute lines and flammable tape surfaced in 2022 ahead of what should have been its maiden voyage.
Called Starliner, the Boeing-manufactured space capsule's first flight was supposed to occur in March 2024 but lingering concerns remain. The two-pilot test flight is now scheduled for early May.
