US astronaut Donald Pettit, along with Russian astronauts Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Wagner, returned to Earth after a seven-month mission aboard the International Space Station. The Soyuz MS-26 spacecraft landed in Kazakhstan on Pettit's 70th birthday, marking a significant moment for the astronaut. During their mission, the crew conducted extensive research, including studies on metal 3D printing and plant growth in space. Despite geopolitical tensions, space exploration remains a collaborative effort between the US and Russia. Pettit's experience contributes to his total of 590 days in space, furthering scientific knowledge.
The timing of their parachute-assisted return to Earth coincided with the US astronaut's 70th birthday, NASA said on the social media platform X.
During their mission aboard the ISS, the crew orbited the Earth 3,520 times, completing a journey of 93.3 million miles (150.15 million km).
Pettit spent his time researching in-orbit metal 3D printing capabilities and water sanitisation technologies while exploring plant growth and fire behaviour in space.
Space exploration has remained a rare avenue of cooperation between the US and Russia since the latter unleashed its war in Ukraine in February 2022.
Collection
[
|
...
]