On Sunday, NASA astronaut Don Pettit, alongside Russian cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner, safely touched down on Earth, concluding a remarkable 220-day mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Their Soyuz MS-26 spacecraft landed on the windswept plains of Kazakhstan at 6:20 a.m. local time, southeast of Dzhezkazgan, after a journey covering 93 million miles and completing 3,520 orbits around our planet.
The reason Baikonur Cosmodrome, located in Kazakhstan, is used is that it has been the launch site for Soyuz missions since the Soviet era. Plus, landing in Kazakhstan allows for a relatively short return trajectory from orbit, simplifying mission logistics and recovery operations. The region’s proximity to the launch site also leverages existing infrastructure and personnel familiar with space operations. Russia leased Baikonur from Kazakhstan after the fall of the Soviet Union to maintain the tradition of landing in the region, formalized through agreements with the Kazakh government.
He came. He saw. He took great pictures.
Now, it’s time for him to come home. Watch live as @Astro_Pettit and two cosmonauts depart the @Space_Station aboard the Soyuz MS-26 spacecraft and return to Earth on Saturday, April 19. See the full schedule: https://t.co/aooEnloGRK pic.twitter.com/oZAyA0LN9e
— NASA (@NASA) April 18, 2025
This mission, a testament to human endurance and international cooperation, saw the trio contribute to critical scientific research during their time in orbit. Pettit, NASA’s oldest active-duty astronaut at 70, marked his birthday just hours before departing the ISS.
A veteran of four spaceflights, he has now logged an impressive 590 days in space, serving as a flight engineer for Expeditions 71 and 72. Ovchinin, also on his fourth mission, has accumulated 595 days in orbit, while Vagner, on his second flight, now totals 416 days.
Return from work home 🌏
📸: The capsule of the Soyuz MS-26 spacecraft, April 20, 2025 pic.twitter.com/otdvXFyLDM— Anna Daryush 🌐 (@Us48434Anna) April 25, 2025
The safe return of this crew underscores the importance of maintaining robust space exploration programs, which not only advance scientific knowledge but also strengthen America’s leadership in space. The ISS, a symbol of what nations can achieve when working together, continues to be a vital platform for research that benefits humanity and prepares us for future missions to the Moon and beyond.
Russian Soyuz MS-26 Crewed Spacecraft Return to Earth with Astronaut Don… https://t.co/N9Tit2kw7N via @YouTube
— Phool88 (@Phool8819) April 26, 2025
After landing, the crew was transported by helicopter to Karaganda, Kazakhstan. Pettit will soon return to Houston, Texas, aboard a NASA plane, while Ovchinin and Vagner will head to their training base in Star City, Russia. Their departure from the ISS was part of a carefully orchestrated crew rotation, which began with the arrival of SpaceX Crew-10 on March 14, led by commander Anne McClain and including Nichole Ayers, Japanese astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Russian cosmonaut Kirill Peskov. This rotation also facilitated the return of Crew-9 astronauts, including Nick Hague and Sunita Williams, earlier in the month.
On April 8, the next Soyuz crew, including commander Sergey Ryzhikov, Alexey Zubritsky, and NASA astronaut Jonny Kim, arrived to continue the ISS’s vital work. Before departing, Ovchinin handed over command of the station to Onishi in a brief ceremony on Friday. Onishi, reflecting on the moment, emphasized the challenges and rewards of human spaceflight, noting its role in pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.
As we celebrate the safe return of Pettit, Ovchinin, and Vagner, we are reminded of the courage and dedication required to explore the final frontier. Their mission reinforces the need for continued investment in space exploration, ensuring America remains at the forefront of scientific discovery and technological innovation.
