Astronaut Don Pettit, Two Cosmonauts Return to Earth After 220 Days Aboard ISS

WASHINGTON — April 20, 2025: NASA astronaut Don Pettit and Roscosmos cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner have officially departed the International Space Station (ISS) aboard the Soyuz MS-26 spacecraft, marking the end of their 220-day mission as part of Expedition 72.

The trio undocked from the ISS at 5:57 p.m. EDT on Saturday. Their return journey to Earth is expected to take approximately 27.5 hours, with a parachute-assisted landing in Kazakhstan scheduled for 9:20 p.m. EDT on Sunday, according to a NASA press release.

Expedition 72: Science, Innovation, and Milestones

Since arriving at the ISS on September 11, Pettit, Ovchinin, and Vagner have orbited the Earth 3,520 times, covering more than 93.3 million miles in space. While aboard the station, the crew conducted research in areas including:

• Advanced life support systems

• Genetic sequencing in microgravity

• Pharmaceutical manufacturing

• Studies aimed at enhancing life both on Earth and future space missions

This mission marks Pettit’s fourth spaceflight, bringing his total time in space to 590 days, where he served as flight engineer for both Expeditions 71 and 72. Ovchinin has now logged 595 days in space over four missions, while Vagner completes his second mission, reaching 416 total days in orbit.

Return Logistics and Recovery

Following re-entry, the Soyuz capsule will land on the Kazakh steppe, where recovery teams will retrieve the crew. The team will be flown via helicopter to Karaganda, Kazakhstan.

• Don Pettit will board a NASA aircraft bound for Houston, Texas.

• Ovchinin and Vagner will continue to Star City, Russia, for post-mission recovery and debriefing.

NASA will provide live coverage of the deorbit burn, atmospheric reentry, and landing starting at 8 p.m. EDT on Sunday, streaming on NASA+ and official NASA platforms.