Trio of Astronauts Set to Return After Spending 245 Days in Orbit

A team of three astronauts is gearing up for their return to Earth this evening, concluding a nearly 245-day mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The crew includes NASA astronaut Jonny Kim and Russian cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky. Their spacecraft is scheduled to detach from the ISS at 8:15 p.m. EST as they begin their descent back home. Since their launch in April 2025, the crew has circled Earth nearly 4,000 times, covering a distance exceeding 100 million miles.

This mission marked the first spaceflight for both Kim and Zubritsky, while Ryzhikov completed his third mission in space, previously commanding Expedition 73 aboard the ISS. The three arrived at the station on April 8, engaging in scientific research and operational tasks during their stay.

Live Broadcast to Capture Departure Highlights

NASA will stream the astronauts’ departure live, starting at 4:45 p.m. EST. The coverage will feature the closing of the hatches between the Soyuz capsule and the ISS, with undocking set for 8:15 p.m. EST. The spacecraft is projected to touch down in Kazakhstan at 12:04 a.m. EST, landing on the steppe near Dzhezkazgan.

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Space.com notes that viewers can witness crucial moments such as the Soyuz undocking, the deorbit burn, and the descent towards Earth. This livestream provides a unique window into the intricate process of returning from space, highlighting the precise coordination essential during spacecraft departure.

Scientific Achievements During Extended Stay

Across nearly eight months in orbit, Jonny Kim, Sergey Ryzhikov, and Alexey Zubritsky undertook a wide range of experiments in the microgravity environment of space, essential for deepening our understanding of biological and physical processes beyond Earth.

Their research contributed valuable data spanning disciplines such as biology, physics, and Earth observation, laying groundwork for upcoming ventures into deep space. A NASA announcement emphasized:

“Its resources on deep space missions to the Moon as part of the Artemis program, in preparation for future human missions to Mars.”

Jonny Kim and cosmonauts Ryzhikov and Zubritsky pictured before their April 2025 Soyuz launch. Credit: Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center

Station Crew Dynamics Shift as Trio Departs

Following the departure of Kim, Ryzhikov, and Zubritsky, seven astronauts remain on the ISS, including cosmonauts Oleg Platonov, Sergey Kud-Sverchkov, and Sergey Mikaev, who joined the station on Thanksgiving Day via a Soyuz launch.

The recent launch faced an unusual challenge: shortly after takeoff, the Soyuz rocket’s service platform hit the flame trench, inflicting damage on the launch pad at Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The repair timeline remains uncertain for the only pad currently capable of dispatching Russian vehicles to the ISS.

Despite this setback, the remaining crew aboard the station will persist with vital scientific experiments and station upkeep, while preparing for future missions.