Japanese Astronaut Wakata Returns to Earth

Tokyo, March 12 (Jiji Press)--Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata safely returned to Earth on Sunday Japan time after a five-month mission aboard the International Space Station.

The Crew Dragon capsule carrying Wakata and three other astronauts landed in waters off the U.S, state of Florida around 11 a.m. Japan time (2 a.m. GMT).

The capsule was pulled up by a ship, and the hatch was opened around 11:40 a.m. Wakata was the third to get off, smiling and looking healthy.

Wakata, 59, does not seem to have any particular health problems, according to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA.

Crew Dragon, developed by Space Exploration Technologies Corp., or SpaceX, was separated from the ISS at 4:20 p.m. Saturday.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]