Astronauts from four countries return to Earth after spending six months in orbit

Florida — Four astronauts from four different countries boarded a SpaceX flight back to Earth on Tuesday to end a half-year mission to the International Space Station.

Their capsule flew over the United States in the predawn darkness before falling into the waters of the Gulf of Mexico near the northwestern edge of Florida.

NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbelia Marine Corps helicopter pilot, led the crew formed by the Dane Andreas Mogensenthe Japanese Satoshi Furukawa and the Russian Konstantin Borisov.

The four were installed on the space station last August. Their replacements arrived last week in their own SpaceX capsule.

“We left them some peanut butter and tortillas.”Moghbeli radioed after leaving the orbital outpost on Monday. Loral O'Hara of NASA responded: “I already miss you, and thank you for that very generous gift.”