Four astronauts have completed their six-month mission aboard the International Space Station and returned to Earth. Their SpaceX capsule safely descended into the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Florida early on Monday.
The returning crew members include NASA astronauts Stephen Bowen and Warren “Woody” Hoburg, Russia’s Andrei Fedyaev, and Sultan al-Neyadi from the United Arab Emirates. Notably, Sultan al-Neyadi is the first person from the Arab world to spend an extended period in space.
Prior to leaving the space station, the astronauts expressed their longing for hot showers, steaming cups of coffee, and the refreshing ocean air, as they had been in orbit since March. Unfortunately, their homecoming was postponed for a day due to adverse weather conditions at the planned splashdown sites. Nevertheless, their return provided a spectacular sight as the capsule streaked across the night sky over Cape Canaveral before splashing down near Jacksonville.
The astronauts expressed their joy at being back on Earth, with SpaceX Mission Control radioing that they had a room full of happy people.
SpaceX had launched their replacements just over a week ago, ensuring the continuous staffing of the space station. Another crew rotation is scheduled for later this month, featuring the eagerly awaited return of two Russian cosmonauts and one American astronaut who have spent an entire year in space. Their mission was extended after their Soyuz capsule experienced a coolant leak, necessitating the launch of a new spacecraft.
In the interim between crew rotations, the International Space Station will remain home to seven astronauts.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
