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Tengrinews.kz - The oldest active astronaut in the United States, Donald Pettit, celebrated his 70th birthday in an extraordinary way — by returning to Earth after spending seven months aboard the International Space Station, citing Sky News.
The Soyuz MS-26 spacecraft carrying American astronaut Donald Pettit and Russian cosmonauts Aleksey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner successfully landed in Kazakhstan on Sunday. Russia's space agency Roscosmos confirmed that the descent from orbit and landing went according to plan.
🚨70TH BIRTHDAY IN SPACE!
— Info Room (@InfoR00M) April 20, 2025
NASA’s Donald Pettit returns to Earth after 220 days aboard the ISS — on his 70th birthday!
🔹Alongside two Russian crewmates, he: Orbited Earth 3,520 times,Traveled 93.3M miles (195 Moon round-trips!)
In orbit, Pettit:
🔹Pioneered metal 3D… pic.twitter.com/1ZFuitskcH
According to Sky News, Donald Pettit is currently the oldest active astronaut in the U.S.
The crew’s seven-month scientific mission began on September 11, 2024. Over the course of 220 days in orbit, the astronauts completed 3,520 orbits around Earth.
🚨Just landed! Roscosmos cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin, Ivan Vagner, and NASA astronaut Donald Pettit are back on Earth after their Soyuz MS-26 mission. Check out these breathtaking photos from their return and reunion! #SpaceExplorers #SoyuzMS26 pic.twitter.com/7b4JijfTjQ
— Fahad Naim (@Fahadnaimb) April 20, 2025
NASA reported that Pettit conducted research aimed at improving metal 3D-printing technologies in space, enhancing water disinfection systems, studying plant growth under different watering regimes, and analyzing the behavior of fire in microgravity.
It was the fourth spaceflight for both Pettit and Ovchinin, and the second for Vagner.
Rocket with Russian-American crew launched from Baikonur to the ISS
