Elon Musk's SpaceX brings ISS astronauts back to Earth after Boeing Starliner problems delayed their return

• Four astronauts splashed down Friday aft 8 months connected committee nan ISS.
• Their return to Earth was delayed to woody pinch issues related to Boeing's Starliner.
• The Starliner astronauts are group to time off nan ISS successful February.

Four astronauts person returned to Earth pinch Elon Musk's SpaceX aft issues with Boeing's Starliner delayed their mission.

SpaceX Crew-8 splashed down disconnected nan seashore of Pensacola, Florida astatine 3:29 a.m. ET connected Friday, NASA said.

NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, and Jeanette Epps, arsenic good arsenic Alexander Grebenkin from Russia's Roscosmos abstraction agency, spent almost 8 months connected nan International Space Station.

They took disconnected connected March 4 aboard SpaceX's reusable spacecraft, Crew Dragon Endeavour, which was launched by a Falcon 9 rocket.

Routine abstraction missions usually past astir six months, and Crew-8 was initially scheduled to return location successful August.

However, Crew-8's clip successful abstraction was extended arsenic NASA investigated helium leaks connected nan Boeing Starliner ngo that launched successful June.

The Starliner astronauts Barry E. Wilmore and Sunita Williams were expected to beryllium successful abstraction for 8 days but are now group to return aft 8 months.

Crew-8's return was further postponed to instal other seats connected Endeavour for Wilmore and Williams successful lawsuit of an emergency evacuation.

Then, Hurricane Milton caused mediocre upwind conditions successful nan planned splashdown area adjacent Florida, adding to nan delay.

Boeing's Starliner spacecraft returned uncrewed past month. Wilmore and Williams are scheduled to time off nan ISS successful February 2025 connected committee SpaceX Crew-9.