(CNN) Genetically enhanced "mighty mice" that were part of a heath experiment on the International Space Station have successfully returned to Earth. The mice splashed down in a SpaceX Dragon capsule on Tuesday morning in the Pacific Ocean.

The mice, provided by the nonprofit Jackson Laboratory in Maine, were genetically manipulated for muscle growth in an experiment to better understand how zero gravity affects the human body.

During long-term spaceflight missions on the space station, astronauts have experienced muscle and bone loss. Although the astronauts exercise every day to mitigate this, experiments like this can help scientists understand how the loss occurs and better ways to manage it.

These mice are just one of many groups of rodents that have flown on the space station over the years in the name of research.

The mice began their stay on the space station after docking on December 8

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