Columbia Astronaut Returns from Space

Terry Virts, the NASA astronaut from Columbia, has returned to Earth after months of research aboard the International Space Station.

Virts, 47, landed with two other astronauts Thursday morning in Kazakhstan and said: “I’m doing great. I feel really good,“ according to a report from the Associated Press.

He had been aboard the space station since Nov. 24, 2014, conducting research that will inform future space travel and provide guidance for safety on Earth, according to NASA.

For example, the crew measured radiation, obtaining data that will assist researchers in designing protection for space travelers and professionals exposed to radiation in health or industrial fields.

Related: Columbia Astronaut Experiences Space Station False Alarm

Virts, a graduate of Oakland Mills High School, was the commander of the space station for the 199-day journey and handed over the leadership of the craft Wednesday to Commander Gennady Padalka of Russia, NASA reported.

He gained fame and more than 200,000 followers on Twitter as he posted breathtaking shots from space, including several of Baltimore.

During his time in space, Virts and the crew also conducted biological research, with constant monitoring of how the experience in space was affecting the immune systems of the astronauts.

That monitoring will continue now that the astronauts have landed, NASA reports.

Photo Credit: @NASA/@AstroTerry