Four astronauts from four countries return to Earth after six months in orbit

Four astronauts from four countries caught a lift back to Earth with SpaceX on Tuesday to end a half-year mission at the International Space Station.

Their capsule streaked across the US in the predawn darkness and splashed into the Gulf of Mexico near the Florida Panhandle.

Nasa’s Jasmin Moghbeli, a Marine helicopter pilot, led the returning crew of Denmark’s Andreas Mogensen, Japan’s Satoshi Furukawa and Russia’s Konstantin Borisov.

They moved into the space station last August.

Their replacements arrived last week in their own SpaceX capsule.

Nasa’s Loral O’Hara replied: “I miss you guys already and thanks for that very generous gift.”

O’Hara has another few weeks at the space station before leaving aboard a Russian Soyuz capsule.

Nasa prefers multiple travel options in case of rocket trouble.

Boeing should start providing astronaut taxi service with a two-pilot test flight in early May.