Four Nasa astronauts have landed back on earth after nearly six months on the International Space Station. 

The crew members of Nasa's Space X Crew 5 mission, in their Dragon Endurance spacecraft, splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico near Tampa at around 2am this morning UK time (9pm local time).

The Crew-5 mission lifted off in the Falcon 9 rocket, from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, Florida, last October. 

The crew - made up of NASA astronauts Nicole Mann and Josh Cassada, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Koichi Wakata, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Anna Kikina - spent 156.5 days aboard the space station, completed 2512 orbits around Earth and traveled 66,577,531 miles during their mission. 

Ms Mann, who led the mission said it was good to be back after a delay returning home earlier in the week due to high wind and waves in the splashdown zones.

Radioing in moments after splashdown, she said: “That was one heck of a ride.

“We’re happy to be home.”

Ms Mann, said she could not wait to feel the wind on her face, smell fresh grass and enjoy some delicious Earth food.

The Bolton News: The four astronauts of NASA's SpaceX Crew-5 mission are back on Earth.The four astronauts of NASA's SpaceX Crew-5 mission are back on Earth. (Image: NASA)

Mr Wakata craved sushi, while Ms Kikina yearned to drink hot tea “from a real cup, not from a plastic bag”.

Nasa astronaut Josh Cassada’s to-do list included getting a rescue dog for his family.

NASA Administrator, Bill Nelson, was one of the first to welcome the crew home and gave an insight into their time in space. 

Mr Nelson said: “Welcome home, Crew-5!

"This international crew has been conducting critical science experiments and technology demonstrations on the International Space Station that will help prepare us for future deep space missions and pave the way for our return to the Moon.

“Each advancement these explorers make is not an achievement for one, but a giant leap for all of humanity.”

Throughout their mission, the Crew-5 team contributed to a host of science and maintenance activities and technology demonstrations.

They conducted spacewalks, tested techniques to grow plants without using soil, released Uganda and Zimbabwe’s first satellites and grew dwarf tomatoes, among other tasks. 

The astronauts also had to deal with a pair of leaking Russian capsules docked to the orbiting outpost and the urgent delivery of a replacement craft for the station’s other crew members.

Remaining behind at the space station are three Americans, three Russians and one astronaut from the United Arab Emirates.