Four crew members from the International Space Station have returned to Earth after cutting short their mission due to a medical issue.
Their spacecraft splashed down off the US state of California at about 8:40 UTC on Thursday.
The crew had been scheduled to leave the station in mid-February or later. But the US space agency NASA decided they would return earlier than planned because one member had experienced a medical situation and needed to be thoroughly examined on Earth.
The US commercial spacecraft Crew Dragon left the station at 22:20 UTC on Wednesday, with the four on board. It later fired its engines and re-entered Earth's atmosphere. The capsule opened its parachutes for a slow descent and splashed down in the ocean.
Japanese astronaut Yui Kimiya is one of the crew members who returned to Earth. He began his mission on the ISS in August last year. He conducted various experiments and successfully used a robotic arm to capture a Japan-developed unmanned cargo craft.
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and NASA say Yui has no health issues, and the condition of the crew member who had the medical issue is stable.

Quiz 1:
What prompted the four crew members to return to Earth earlier than planned?
A. A successful completion of all scheduled experiments.
B. A medical situation requiring thorough examination on Earth.
C. A desire to experience the splashdown procedure firsthand.
D. A scheduled maintenance check of the Crew Dragon spacecraft.

Quiz 2:
When was the original departure date for the crew from the International Space Station?
A. August of last year.
B. Wednesday at 22:20 UTC.
C. Mid-February or later.
D. Thursday at 8:40 UTC.

Quiz 3:
Which country's astronaut, Yui Kimiya, was among the crew members who returned to Earth?
A. Japan
B. United States
C. Russia
D. Canada

[Answer block]
Answers:
Quiz 1: B
Quiz 2: C
Quiz 3: A