Countdown to Earth: The Final Mission of the Space Trio

NASA astronaut Don Pettit, alongside cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner, is set to make a much-anticipated return from the International Space Station (ISS) this Saturday, April 19. If everything unfolds as planned, their journey back to Earth will kick off at 5:57 p.m. EDT (2157 GMT) as their Russian Soyuz spacecraft departs from the ISS' Rassvet module.

A Memorable Landing Ahead!

Their homecoming will be a significant occasion, touching down on the expansive steppe of Kazakhstan near the town of Dzhezkazgan around 9:20 p.m. EDT (0120 GMT), which also marks a special celebration: it’s Don Pettit’s 70th birthday! In fact, he will officially celebrate on April 20 in Kazakhstan, making him NASA’s oldest active astronaut.

Incredible Milestones: Days and Distance in Space

When the trio departs, they will complete an astonishing 220 days in orbit, having traveled an impressive 93 million miles (150 million kilometers) while orbiting Earth 3,520 times since their launch on September 11, 2024. By the end of this mission, Pettit will have clocked in a staggering total of 590 days in space throughout his four missions.

Get Ready for the Live Coverage!

NASA will provide live coverage of the Soyuz's return, starting with Ovchinin transferring command of the ISS to JAXA astronaut Takuya Onishi on April 18 at 2:40 p.m. EDT (2040 GMT). The farewell ceremony for the departing trio will begin on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. EDT (1800 GMT), leading up to the undocking and landing. Don’t miss this exciting moment as history unfolds!