Space Trio’s Earthly Homecoming

NASA astronaut Jonny Kim and his crewmates, Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky, successfully returned to Earth on December 9, 2025, after completing an eight-month mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The trio landed safely in Kazakhstan, marking a significant milestone in space exploration and scientific research.

The Soyuz MS-27 spacecraft, carrying the international team, touched down southeast of Dzhezkazgan, Kazakhstan, at approximately 12:03 a.m. EST after a parachute-assisted descent. The crew had embarked on their journey to the ISS on April 8 and spent a total of 245 days in orbit, traveling nearly 104 million miles and completing 3,920 orbits around Earth.

Throughout their mission, the astronauts engaged in numerous scientific studies aimed at enhancing life on Earth and preparing for future space endeavors. Jonny Kim, on his debut spaceflight, contributed to various experiments including the study of bioprinted tissues in microgravity and the remote operation of robots, which could potentially aid in developing robotic assistants for space missions. Moreover, the crew worked on the in-space production of DNA-mimicking nanomaterials, paving the way for advancements in drug delivery and regenerative medicine.

Following medical evaluations post-landing, the astronauts will head to the recovery staging area in Karaganda, Kazakhstan. Jonny Kim is scheduled to return to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. This mission underscores the continuous human presence on the ISS for over 25 years, contributing to scientific breakthroughs and preparing for NASA’s future deep space missions, including the Artemis campaign to the Moon and eventual human exploration of Mars.