Source: cbsnews.com
Image content: The photo shows a view of Earth at night from the International Space Station, with colorful city lights blurred into streaks by the station’s motion. The planet’s curved horizon glows with a thin orange airglow, and the star-filled Milky Way is visible above along with parts of the ISS structure.
Summary
NASA astronaut Don Pettit, the oldest active U.S. astronaut, safely returned to Earth on his 70th birthday after a 220-day mission aboard the International Space Station with Russian crewmates Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner. Their Soyuz landing in Kazakhstan concluded a complex crew rotation and brought Pettit’s cumulative time in space to 590 days, while Ovchinin reached 595 and Vagner 416. The mission featured experiments in metal 3D printing, water sanitization, plant growth under varied hydration, and fire behavior in microgravity. As the crew transitions to post-flight rehabilitation, the articles also highlight ongoing ISS challenges—aging hardware, air leaks, budget and logistics pressures—and the planning for a U.S. Deorbit Vehicle to enable a safe station retirement around 2030.
Key Points
- Don Pettit returned from a 220-day ISS mission on his 70th birthday, landing with Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner in Kazakhstan.
- Cumulative time in space reached 590 days for Pettit, 595 for Ovchinin, and 416 for Vagner.
- Research included metal 3D printing, water sanitization, plant growth studies, and fire behavior in microgravity.
- The return followed complex crew rotations amid ISS challenges like air leaks, budget shortfalls, and logistics delays.
- NASA plans a U.S. Deorbit Vehicle by 2029 to ensure a safe ISS deorbit near 2030.