In a remarkable achievement, a crew of three astronauts has successfully returned to Earth after a 245-day mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The crew touched down close to the city of Dzhezkazgan in Kazakhstan. This crew features NASA astronaut Jeremy Kim and Russian cosmonauts Andrey Zubritsky and Sergey Ryzhikov. It was the first spaceflight for both Kim and Zubritsky, while Ryzhikov wrapped up his third excursion into space.
That mission—which started more than six months ago—had the crew orbit Earth an incredible 3,920 times. On every day of their 393 days spent in space, they flew an average of almost 104 million miles. Their journey played an integral role in groundbreaking research and experiments that further our understanding of life beyond the Earth. Here’s the latest from NASA with in-depth information on the mission’s accomplishments and the crew’s experience during their record-setting, 5-month stay aboard the ISS.
Kim and Zubritsky’s first spaceflight, like every mission to the International Space Station, was packed with scientific experiments and technology demonstrations, as well as educational outreach efforts. Their contributions will inform future missions and help build the body of knowledge necessary for long-duration space travel. Having flown on two prior missions, Ryzhikov was instrumental in guiding his less experienced crewmates. Beyond serving as a role model to millions of people, he took part in groundbreaking scientific research throughout their mission.
After landing the crew were welcomed by recovery teams that helped guide them safely back to terrestrial circumstances. The alternate landing site near Dzhezkazgan is the default location for crews returning from the ISS. This arrangement makes for highly effective recovery missions.
The impact of this mission goes far beyond the days she will spend in space. The crew’s experience will help prepare us for future explorations, especially as humanity sets its sights on longer missions, like Mars. The information gathered on or around the ISS will lay the groundwork. Most importantly, it will prepare us to understand the physical and psychological impacts that extended space travel will have on astronauts.