Houston, Texas – America’s oldest serving astronaut, Dan Pettit, celebrated his 70th birthday by returning to Earth in a Soyuz MS-26 space capsule. Touching down in Kazakhstan’s steppe at 06:20 local time (01:20 GMT) on Sunday, Pettit and his Russian crewmates Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner completed their 220-day mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS). NASA reported they orbited the Earth 3,520 times during their stay.
Pettit, accumulating a total of 590 days in space across four missions, falls short of the title for the oldest person to fly in orbit, held by John Glenn who flew at age 77 in 1998. After readjusting to gravity, Pettit will head to Houston while Ovchinin and Vagner will go to Russia’s main space training base in Star City near Moscow.
Before departing the ISS, Pettit and his crewmates handed command to Japanese astronaut Takuya Onishi. Their safe return marks another successful mission for the ISS, highlighting the international cooperation in space exploration. Pettit’s extensive experience in space adds to the collective knowledge gained from long-duration missions on the ISS.
As the world celebrates Pettit’s safe return on his milestone 70th birthday, the veteran astronaut’s dedication and passion for space exploration continue to inspire future generations. The challenges of living and working in space, as well as the scientific discoveries made aboard the ISS, further emphasize the importance of continued space exploration efforts.
The crew’s return home emphasizes the need for ongoing research and innovation in space travel. Pettit’s achievements serve as a reminder of the incredible feats humanity can accomplish when working together towards a common goal. The ISS remains a beacon of international collaboration, pushing the boundaries of human exploration in outer space.