NASA’s Longest-Serving Astronaut Returns to Earth with Crew
The oldest veteran astronaut from NASA, Donald Pettit, made a remarkable return to Earth on his 70th birthday after spending seven months aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Accompanied by Russian cosmonauts Aleksey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner, Pettit landed in Kazakhstan on April 20, 2025, following a mission that began with the launch of the Soyuz MS-26 spacecraft on September 11, 2024. This historic landing not only marks a personal milestone for Pettit but also highlights his extensive contributions to space exploration.
Legacy of Pettit
Donald Pettit has made significant strides in space exploration throughout his career. This recent mission was his fourth flight, while it was the second for cosmonaut Ivan Vagner and the fourth for Aleksey Ovchinin. Collectively, the trio has spent a total of 1,601 days in space, with Pettit contributing 590 days, Ovchinin 595 days, and Vagner 416 days. During their mission, they orbited the Earth 3,520 times, covering an impressive distance of 93.3 million miles. NASA astronaut Nichole Ayers expressed her sentiments on social media, reflecting on the bittersweet nature of Pettit’s return, acknowledging his inspiring presence during the mission.
Back to Earth
The journey back to Earth began at 5:57 PM EDT on Saturday when the Soyuz spacecraft undocked from the ISS. After approximately two and a half hours of deorbiting maneuvers, the capsule successfully re-entered the Earth’s atmosphere, ensuring a safe landing. While Pettit, Ovchinin, and Vagner returned home, several crew members remained aboard the ISS, including Anne McCain, Nichole Ayers, Jonny Kim, and JAXA astronaut Takuya Onishi, along with Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky.
Soyuz Spacecraft MS-26
The Soyuz MS-26 mission was significant for its role in advancing long-term microgravity research in various scientific fields, including biology, physics, and material science. The spacecraft served as a vital transport vehicle for the experienced crew members, facilitating their research and experiments in the unique environment of space. Additionally, the Soyuz spacecraft is designed to function as an emergency vehicle for up to 220 days, ensuring the safety and well-being of astronauts aboard the ISS.
Pettit’s Achievements
Donald Pettit is well-known for his numerous contributions to space science and exploration. His work includes overseeing the departure of SpaceX’s Crew-9 mission aboard Dragon Freedom, as well as Crew-10 on Dragon Endurance and the Cygnus cargo ship. Pettit also served as a flight engineer for Expedition 30/31 in 2012. Among his notable achievements are the development of innovative drinking cups for consuming coffee in microgravity and his contributions to polarized photography from space, which have provided stunning images of Earth from above.
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