Four astronauts return to Earth after six months on space station

The capsule splashes down in the Atlantic (Bill Ingalls/NASA via AP)

Four astronauts have returned to Earth in a SpaceX capsule at the end of a nearly six-month space station mission, splashing down in the Atlantic off Florida.

Wet and windy weather delayed their homecoming but SpaceX and Nasa finally gave the all-clear on Friday, and the three Americans and one Italian departed the International Space Station, which has been their residence since April.