Overview

• Don Pettit, NASA's oldest active astronaut, landed in Kazakhstan on April 20, 2025, marking his 70th birthday and the end of a 220-day mission aboard the ISS.
• The Soyuz MS-26 spacecraft, carrying Pettit and Roscosmos cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner, completed a parachute-assisted landing southeast of Dzhezkazgan at 6:20 a.m. local time.
• During Expeditions 71 and 72, the crew conducted over 3,500 Earth orbits, covering 93.3 million miles, and advanced research in microgravity, including metal 3D printing and water sanitization.
• Pettit, on his fourth spaceflight, has now logged 590 days in orbit, making him one of NASA's most experienced astronauts and a key figure in space exploration.
• Following routine medical checks, Pettit traveled to Houston for rehabilitation, while Ovchinin and Vagner returned to Star City, Russia, as Expedition 73 continues ISS operations.