Axiom-SpaceX mission led by Peggy Whitson, 65, returns to Earth from International Space Station

The Nasa retiree turned private astronaut Peggy Whitson splashed down safely in the Pacific early on Tuesday after her fifth trip to the International Space Station, along with crewmates from India, Poland and Hungary returning from their countries’ first ISS missions.

A SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule carrying the four-member team parachuted into the sea off the coast of California at about 2.30am PDT (10.30am BST) after a fiery reentry through Earth’s atmosphere that capped a 22-hour descent from orbit.