US, Russian astronauts return safely to Earth after 8-month mission aboard ISS
A joint US-Russian crew successfully returned to Earth after an eight-month mission aboard the International Space Station. The mission underscores the persistence of space cooperation between Washington and Moscow despite ongoing geopolitical tensions following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Why it matters
The continued collaboration in space serves as a rare example of diplomatic stability between the US and Russia during a period of significant international conflict.
A joint US-Russian crew safely returned to Earth on Sunday after spending more than eight months aboard the International Space Station (ISS), marking another milestone in continued space cooperation between Washington and Moscow despite broader geopolitical tensions.Nasa astronaut Chris Williams and Russian cosmonauts Sergei Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev landed aboard the Soyuz MS-28 spacecraft in the steppes of Kazakhstan after completing a 241-day mission in orbit.The Soyuz capsule touched down under parachutes in a designated landing area southeast of Dzhezkazgan.Crew heads home after 241 days in orbitFollowing the landing, the crew was scheduled to travel by helicopter to Karaganda.From there, Williams will fly back to Nasa's Johnson Space Centre in Houston, while Kud-Sverchkov and Mikaev will return to Russia's Star City training base near Moscow.The mission was the first spaceflight for Williams and Mikaev, while it marked Kud-Sverchkov's second journey to space.US-Russia space cooperation continues despite tensionsAlthough the United States…
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in