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93 Million Miles, 3,520 Orbits, and a 70th Birthday: NASA's Don Pettit Returns to Earth
https://scitechdaily.com/93-million-miles-3520-orbits-and-a-70th-birthday-nasas-don-pettit-returns-to-earth/
NASA astronaut Don Pettit is carried to a medical tent shortly after he and Roscosmos cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner landed in their Soyuz MS-26 spacecraft near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan, on April 20, 2025 (Kazakhstan time). Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls
Don Pettit has returned to Earth after a seven-month mission aboard the International Space Station, wrapping up a journey filled with scientific exploration and cosmic milestones.
Alongside Russian cosmonauts, Pettit not only logged tens of millions of miles and thousands of Earth orbits but also celebrated his 70th birthday in style — with a parachute-assisted landing in Kazakhstan. From experimenting with 3D printing in microgravity to capturing the beauty of space through photography, his mission advanced research vital to future lunar and Martian endeavors.
Return to Earth After Seven-Month Mission
NASA astronaut Don Pettit safely returned to Earth on Saturday, April 19, alongside Russian cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner, concluding a seven-month scientific mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS).
The crew left the space station on April 19 at 5:57 p.m. EDT aboard the Soyuz MS-26 spacecraft. They landed safely with parachute assistance at 9:20 p.m. EDT (which was 6:20 a.m. local time on Sunday, April 20) southeast of Dzhezkazgan, Kazakhstan. Pettit’s return also coincides with a personal milestone — he celebrated his 70th birthday on April 20.
. . .
Alongside Russian cosmonauts, Pettit not only logged tens of millions of miles and thousands of Earth orbits but also celebrated his 70th birthday in style — with a parachute-assisted landing in Kazakhstan. From experimenting with 3D printing in microgravity to capturing the beauty of space through photography, his mission advanced research vital to future lunar and Martian endeavors.
Return to Earth After Seven-Month Mission
NASA astronaut Don Pettit safely returned to Earth on Saturday, April 19, alongside Russian cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner, concluding a seven-month scientific mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS).
The crew left the space station on April 19 at 5:57 p.m. EDT aboard the Soyuz MS-26 spacecraft. They landed safely with parachute assistance at 9:20 p.m. EDT (which was 6:20 a.m. local time on Sunday, April 20) southeast of Dzhezkazgan, Kazakhstan. Pettit’s return also coincides with a personal milestone — he celebrated his 70th birthday on April 20.
. . .
The Soyuz MS-26 spacecraft is seen as it lands in a remote area near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan with Expedition 72 NASA astronaut Don Pettit, and Roscosmos cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner aboard, April 19, 2025 (April 20, 2025, Kazakhstan time). The trio is returning to Earth after logging 220 days in space as members of Expeditions 71 and 72 aboard the International Space Station. Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls