A NASA astronaut and two Russian cosmonauts have left the International Space Station (ISS). They finished an eight-month mission. The crew undocked in the Soyuz MS-27/73S spacecraft. This happened at 8:41 p.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday.
The crew members are:
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Commander Sergey Ryzhikov (Russia)
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Flight Engineer Alexey Zubritsky (Russia)
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NASA Astronaut Jonny Kim (USA)
A Russian flight controller radioed a message to the crew. They said, “We wish you a soft landing and hope to see you on the ground very soon.”
The Return Journey to Earth
The spacecraft began its journey back to Earth. It headed toward a landing zone in Kazakhstan. Recovery teams were ready there to meet them.
The return process had several key steps:
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A braking burn to slow the spacecraft down.
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Re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere.
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A parachute-assisted landing on the steppe.
After landing, the crew planned to travel to the city of Dzhezkazgan. From there, they would return to their home bases for medical checks and mission debriefings.
Crew’s Emotional Farewell
Before leaving, the crew took part in a change-of-command ceremony. Astronaut Jonny Kim spoke about his experience. He said what he will remember most is “the bond that we shared together.”
He added, “We always gave each other grace and had so much love for each other and everyone who supports us.”
Mission Achievements
During their 8 months in space, the trio completed 3,920 orbits of Earth. They traveled about 104 million miles. They supported hundreds of scientific experiments. They also performed maintenance on both the U.S. and Russian segments of the station. The Russian cosmonauts completed two spacewalks.
Their departure follows the arrival of a new Soyuz crew. That crew, which arrived on November 27, will continue station operations.
What’s Next for the Crew
After touchdown, Jonny Kim will return to NASA’s base in Houston, Texas. The Russian cosmonauts will go to Star City near Moscow. There, they will undergo routine post-mission procedures and reunite with their families.
The ISS continues to operate with a crew of four. They are:
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NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke
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Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui
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Russian cosmonaut Oleg Platonov