Astronaut Don Pettit Returns: 590 Days in Space

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NASA's oldest active astronaut Don Pettit touched down on Earth April 20, 2025—exactly on his 70th birthday—after 220 days aboard the International Space Station.

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Pettit and Russian cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner traveled 93.3 million miles and orbited Earth 3,520 times during their seven-month mission.

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The Soyuz MS-26 spacecraft carrying the three space travelers made a parachute-assisted landing on Kazakhstan's steppe at 6:20 AM local time.

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Concerns emerged when NASA's live coverage cut short after Pettit's extraction from the capsule, but officials confirmed he was "doing well" following routine medical checks.

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This fourth spaceflight brings Pettit's total time in space to 590 days, though John Glenn still holds the record for oldest person in orbit, flying at age 77.

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Pettit conducted research on metal 3D printing, water cleaning systems, plant growth, and fire behavior in zero gravity to help prepare for future space missions.

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Fellow astronaut Anne McClain called Pettit's departure "the end of an era," praising his photography skills that captured rare auroras and lightning for Earth viewers.

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Before leaving, Pettit's crew handed command of the space station to Japanese astronaut Takuya Onishi, who arrived in March 2025.

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After recovery in Karaganda, Kazakhstan, Pettit flew to Houston while his Russian crewmates returned to Star City, Russia's main space training facility.

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