Watch NASA's SpaceX Dragon crew prepare to return to Earth from space station

11 March 2024 , 15:53

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The SpaceX Crew-7 team are headed back to Earth from the International Space Station (Image: Anadolu via Getty Images)

After six months orbiting the Earth in the International Space Station (ISS), the crew of NASA's SpaceX Crew-7 has returned to Earth today.

Four individuals from different countries were bringing "time-sensitive research" back to Earth. It remains unclear what exactly the research is.

According to NASA, "the hatch closed" between SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft and the ISS at exactly 9.15am EDT on Monday following a change of command ceremony on Sunday. The craft undocked from the forward-facing port of the station at 11.20am EDT on Monday and splashed down near the Florida coast at approximately 5.47am EDT (9.47am London) on Tuesday March 12.

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The entire ordeal was be broadcast from NASA's platforms, including NASA+, NASA TV and the NASA app. Live broadcasts of the splashdown began at 4.30am (8.30am London).

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The astronauts aboard the ISS who returned to Earth are NASA's own Jasmin Moghbeli, Andreas Mogensen from the European Space Agency (ESA), Satoshi Furukawa from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and Konstantin Borisov of Russia.

NASA's website states that the Commercial Crew Program, of which all the astronauts are a part, is "delivering on its goal of safe, reliable and cost-effective human transportation to and from the International Space Station" by partnering with America's private space industry — in this case, Elon Musk's SpaceX.

NASA's SpaceX Crew-7 are set to return after six months on the International Space Station (CRISTOBAL HERRERA-ULASHKEVICH/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)

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The website continues: "The station is a critical testbed for NASA to understand and overcome the challenges of long-duration spaceflight. As commercial companies focus on providing human transportation services to and from low-Earth orbit, NASA is freed up to focus on building spacecraft and rockets for deep space missions."

The agency stated that it hopes to soon put the first woman and person of color on the Moon with its Artemis missions that are scheduled for the coming years and to eventually put humans on Mars.

The solid rocket booster separates from the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket after lifting off with the Crew Dragon Endeavour capsule carrying the Crew-8 mission (AFP via Getty Images)

Recovery teams will reportedly be in place for when the craft splashes down, with areas of the ocean already blocked off to prevent stray boats from getting hit by the craft. The crews are slated to act quickly and efficiently to recover the astronauts the moment they land, NASA said.

A press conference is scheduled for 7am EDT (11am London) on Tuesday after the successful recovery of the astronauts. It is slated to feature remarks from: Steve Stich, the manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program; Jeff Arend, the manager for systems engineering and integration at NASA’s International Space Station Office; a SpaceX representative; Eric Van Der Wal, the Houston office team leader with ESA; and Hiroshi Sasaki, the vice president for human space flight and space exploration at JAXA.

Jeremiah Hassel