Colorado Native Returns to Earth After nearly Six Months in Space

(KKTV) -Colorado native Jessica Watkins was one of four astronauts to return to Earth on Friday after nearly six months at the International Space Station.

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Watkins, who was born in Maryland but considers Lafayette, Colo. her hometown, was on the Crew-4 mission that launched back in April.

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Watkins was on the mission with fellow NASA astronauts Bob Hines and Kjell Lindgren and European Space Agency astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti.

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NASA officials said the crew splashed down safely in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Jacksonville, Fla. on Friday afternoon.

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The crew spent a total of 170 days in space.

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The mission will lift off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

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The crew is scheduled for a long-duration stay aboard the orbiting laboratory, living and working as part of what is expected to be a seven member crew.

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The Crew-4 mission will fly a new Crew Dragon spacecraft that the crew has named Freedom.

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More information about their mission can be found on NASA’s website.

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