NASA’s Crew-5 mission successfully completed their five-month stint in space and returned to Earth on Sunday. The four-person crew, which comprised of NASA astronauts Raja Chari and Tom Marshburn, along with European Space Agency astronaut Matthias Maurer and Japanese astronaut Akihiko Hoshide departed from the International Space Station on Saturday on board the SpaceX Crew Dragon Endurance.

The spacecraft undocked from the station without incident after completing its final checks and procedures. The crew then spent several hours preparing for re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere.

As the spacecraft approached Earth’s atmosphere, it executed a series of maneuvers to slow down and position itself for a safe landing. The Crew Dragon Endurance then deployed its parachutes and landed in the Gulf of Mexico, off the coast of Florida, at approximately 12:30 p.m. ET.

The landing marked the end of an eventful journey for the crew, who conducted a series of scientific experiments and maintenance activities during their stay on the International Space Station.

In a statement, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson congratulated the Crew-5 team and praised SpaceX for their contribution to the mission. “This mission, like all of the work being done on the International Space Station, is helping to advance our understanding of the universe and pave the way for future missions to the Moon and beyond,” he said.

The successful completion of the Crew-5 mission highlighted the continued collaboration between NASA and private companies like SpaceX, which are essential to the future of space exploration.