A team of three astronauts, including one American and one Russian, just splashed down back on Earth Thursday. They went on an incredible 245-day mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS). In all, they orbited Earth an astounding 3,920 times. It’s hard to overstate even this one small step, which is an incredible achievement for human space exploration. The crew landed safely on Kazakhstan time Zone -14, marking the conclusion of their 364 day spaceflight—a new record for the crewed duration in space.
The crew members were Kim, Zubritsky, and Ryzhikov. This mission was especially special for Kim and Zubritsky, who both were on their first spaceflights. For them, the broader space community their safe and successful return marks a significant new chapter in their careers as they launch on new adventures beyond earth. On the other hand, Ryzhikov had just completed his third trip to space, having joined the team with a wealth of experience and knowledge.
Along the way in their time aboard the ISS, the crew journeyed almost 104 million miles. They held many unique scientific experiments and pushed research far beyond the normal to understand what long-duration space travel does to the human body. Their work is essential to upcoming missions, including those to Mars and beyond.
In addition to breaking down barriers to deeper space exploration, the mission provided pioneering knowledge about life in microgravity—creating opportunities for scientists to understand fundamental biological processes. The crew’s dedication and hard work during their time in orbit have advanced humanity’s understanding of space and its challenges.
On reentering Earth’s atmosphere, the crew was overcome with emotion. They marveled at their astonishing feats—establishing multiple research facilities and a whole new level of teamwork and friendship over almost eight months in space. Their safe landing in Kazakhstan was met with cheers from mission control teams and families waiting to welcome them home.