Landing Successful! ISS Team Back on Earth After Half-Year Space Mission | Science, Environment & Technology Updates

Astronaut Donald Pettit from NASA, along with Russian cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Wagner, have completed their return journey to Earth from the International Space Station (ISS), arriving in Kazakhstan on a Sunday aboard the Soyuz MS-26 spacecraft. Russia’s space agency, Roscosmos, confirmed the spacecraft’s descent and landing as proceeding without incident. During their stay aboard the ISS, which began on September 11, 2024, the crew carried out an extensive seven-month scientific mission, orbiting Earth 3,520 times over 220 days. Pettit, who marked his 70th birthday upon returning to Earth, focused on multiple research projects, including improving 3D printing in space, advancing water purification technologies, studying plant growth under different conditions, and examining behavior of fire in the conditions of microgravity. This mission was Pettit’s and Ovchinin’s fourth space trip, while it marked Wagner’s second voyage into space.

Source: https://news.sky.com/story/touch-down-iss-crew-returns-after-seven-months-in-space-13352239