TOKYO — Astronaut Koichi Wakata of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) returned to Earth on Saturday with three crewmates from the International Space Station (ISS).

A SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft left the ISS carrying the crew within the wee hours of the morning, then opened up its parachutes after coming into the Earth’s ambiance. It splashed down off the coast of Florida at about 9 p.m. and was retrieved by a restoration ship.

Wakata and his crewmates from the United States and Russia had been on the ISS for an prolonged keep since October. This was Wakata’s fourth time on the house station.

With 5 total house missions, Wakata has been to house extra usually than every other astronaut from Japan and has been in house for a complete of 504 days, additionally a Japan document. The 59-year-old can be the oldest Japanese astronaut to have flown in house.

During his newest keep in house, Wakata spacewalked for the primary time in his life and did it twice.

Upon arrival after being introduced out of the Space X Crew Dragon capsule, Wakata in good spirits as he bumped fists and exchanged smiles and pleasantries with restoration workforce members.

In a publish on his Twitter account on Sunday, Wakata mentioned he’s present process a medical examination at an isolation facility at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. “I am grateful to all the many people who have supported my return,” he wrote.