Private spaceflight ends with a Pacific splashdown for astronauts from India, Poland and Hungary

A private spaceflight featuring the first astronauts in more than 40 years from India, Poland and Hungary came to a close Tuesday with a Pacific splashdown.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — A private spaceflight featuring the first astronauts in more than 40 years from India, Poland and Hungary came to a close Tuesday with a Pacific splashdown.

Their SpaceX capsule undocked from the I nternational Space Station on Monday and parachuted into the ocean off the Southern California coast, less than 24 hours later.

Hungary's Tibor Kapu comes out of a SpaceX capsule on Tuesday in Southern California.SpaceX via APThe crew of four launched nearly three weeks ago on a flight chartered by the Houston company Axiom Space.

Axiom’s Peggy Whitson, the most experienced U.S. astronaut, served as commander. Joining her were India’s Shubhanshu Shukla, Poland’s Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski and Hungary’s Tibor Kapu, whose countries paid more than $65 million apiece for the mission.

A SpaceX capsule carrying four astronauts parachuting into the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Southern California on Tuesday.SpaceX via AP“Thanks for the great ride and safe trip,” Whitson radioed moments after splashdown. Her record now stands at 695 days in space over five missions, longer than any other American or woman.