The SpaceX capsule with the four astronauts, three Americans and one Russian, landed today in the Gulf of Mexico just off the coast of Florida, after almost eight months of being on the International Space Station.

The crew of Crew-8 returned to Earth belatedly after his stay was extended by two months to the International Space Station due to the problem with the Boeing capsule and also due to Hurricane Milton. The capsule was returned empty last September due to safety concerns.

SpaceX launched the four members – NASA’s Matthew Dominique, Michael Barratt and Janet Epps, and Russian Alexander Grebenkin – last March.

Their replacements are the two Starliner test pilots, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams. Also, two astronauts were launched by SpaceX four weeks ago. The four will remain there until February.

The space station now has the normal number of people it should have, the number 7 namely four Americans and three Russians, after being overcrowded for months.