On Sunday, an international team of three astronauts splashed down in a crew return vehicle. These youth accomplished a truly remarkable 245-day mission onboard the International Space Station (ISS). They splashed down close to the Kazakh city of Dzhezkazgan, bringing another long human endeavor to a successful conclusion, and each of them an impressive personal accomplishment.
This mission felt extra special to crew members Kim and Zubritsky, who were embarking on their first spaceflight. Their journey actually began several months ago. They met the challenges of living in microgravity and performing the most advanced scientific experiments that benefit humanity while leading us deeper into space. The journey has given them all amazing knowledge of the trials and marvels that life in space brings.
Ryzhikov capped off his third trip to space. His extensive experience includes previous missions that have equipped him with a wealth of knowledge about operating in the unique environment of the ISS. His most recent mission provided him the opportunity to pass along his expertise. As new crew members joined the ISS family, he shepherded them through the challenges of life in space.
When accounting for each individual crew member’s time spent on the ISS, the crew has orbited Earth an astounding 3,920 times! This remarkable total of nearly 150,000 orbits highlights the breadth of scientific research and operational work they accomplished during their time in space. The mission enabled them to collect research data essential for preparing for future missions and establishing a sustained human presence beyond Earth.
During the expedition, they covered almost 104 million miles which underlines the breathtaking scale of their mission. This extensive amount of time tested their physical endurance to the extreme. It further tested their capacity to work together as a unit in a limited space.
Prior to returning to Earth, the crew will be debriefed extensively. Medical evaluations will come after to monitor the impacts of their unprecedentedly long duration of stay in space. Going through this process helps develop a better understanding of how prolonged exposure to microgravity impacts the human body. It can inform future long duration space missions.