A private spaceflight, marking the return of astronauts from India, Poland, and Hungary after more than 40 years, successfully concluded with a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean on Tuesday.
The SpaceX capsule, which undocked from the International Space Station (ISS) on Monday, safely parachuted into the ocean off the coast of Southern California less than a day later.
The four-person crew launched nearly three weeks ago on a mission chartered by Houston-based Axiom Space.
Axiom’s Peggy Whitson, the most experienced US astronaut, commanded the mission.
Joining her were India’s Shubhanshu Shukla, Poland’s Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski, and Hungary’s Tibor Kapu. These nations reportedly paid over 65 million dollars (£48 million) each for their respective astronauts to participate.
Shortly after splashdown, Dr. Whitson radioed: “Thanks for the great ride and safe trip.”
During their time in orbit, the visiting astronauts carried out numerous experiments and celebrated their cultural heritage.
The last time India, Poland, and Hungary sent individuals into space was in the late 1970s and 1980s, in collaboration with the Soviet Union.
This mission represented Axiom’s fourth journey to the ISS since 2022, reflecting NASA’s ongoing initiative to broaden access to space for businesses and private citizens.
Axiom Space is among several companies currently developing their own space stations as potential replacements for the existing ISS.
NASA intends to retire the ISS in 2030, following more than 30 years of continuous operation.
