# Four astronauts splash down after eight months in orbit

> NASA, French and Russian crew return to Earth after replacing an ailing colleague at the International Space Station.
- Title: Four astronauts splash down after eight months in orbit
- Summary: NASA, French and Russian crew return to Earth after replacing an ailing colleague at the International Space Station. Four astronauts returned to Earth on…
- Keywords: spacex, international space station, nasa, jessica meir, jack hathaway, sophie adenot, andrey fedyaev, astronauts, space mission, Four, splash, eight
- Source: Fortune — https://fortune.com/2026/10/08/spacex-four-astronauts-back-earth
- Author: The Associated Press
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: spacex, international space station, nasa, jessica meir, jack hathaway, sophie adenot, andrey fedyaev, astronauts, space mission
## Four return from the station
NASA's Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, France's Sophie Adenot and Russia's Andrey Fedyaev splashed down in the Pacific off Los Angeles on Thursday after eight months in orbit.
## They launched as emergency replacements
Meir and her crew left Earth in February to replace four station occupants sent home early after NASA's Mike Fincke fell ill. It was NASA's first medical evacuation in sixty-five years of human spaceflight.
## Eight months of work and wonder
Meir took part in four spacewalks while Adenot ventured outside three times for maintenance and upgrades to the twenty-eight-year-old outpost.
## Meir's words as they touched down
Jessica Meir radioed after splashdown: "We are so excited to be back on Planet Earth after an incredible mission on the International Space Station."

> We are so excited to be back on Planet Earth after an incredible mission on the International Space Station
## Seven remain as the station continues
All four astronauts were out of their capsule within an hour and heading to Houston.Seven astronauts from the U.S.
## Key takeaway

Four astronauts returned to Earth on Thursday after eight months at the International Space Station, completing a mission that began as an emergency replacement crew.