French, US and Russian astronauts return to Earth after eight months in space

Four astronauts returned to Earth from the International Space Station on Thursday after hurrying there eight months ago to replace an ailing colleague and his crew. SpaceX brought the US, French and Russian flyers back with a splashdown in the Pacific off the coast of Los Angeles. NASA’s Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, France’s Sophie Adenot and Russia’s Andrey Fedyaev departed the orbiting lab on Wednesday, eager to reunite with their families after a lengthy separation. Their replacements arrived three weeks late because of capsule repairs, stalling this crew’s homecoming. They couldn’t wait to feel the breeze on their faces, hit the shower and, for Adenot at least, plunge back into water sports. “We are so excited to be back on Planet Earth after an incredible mission on the International Space Station,” Meir radioed moments after splashing down. While still in orbit, she said the crew had “a lot of mixed, swirling emotions” and would miss the “extraordinary views of our home planet”. Read moreExclusive: French astronaut Sophie Adenot recounts her ‘miracle’ mission from orbiting ISS Meir and her crew left the planet in February to replace four station occupants who were sent ho...