A Stellar Birthday Celebration

Forget the cake and candles—NASA's oldest astronaut, Don Pettit, marked his 70th birthday in the most extraordinary way imaginable: by returning to Earth after a seven-month mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS). As the Soyuz capsule descended toward Kazakhstan, Pettit welcomed a new decade while orbiting the planet.

Mission Accomplished!

The Soyuz MS-26 spacecraft, carrying Pettit along with Russian cosmonauts Alexei Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner, safely landed near the town of Zhezkazgan. The landing took place at 6:20 AM local time—120 minutes past midnight GMT—on Pettit’s birthday, providing a fitting finale to a remarkable journey.

A Journey Through Space

During their 220 days in space, Pettit and his crew orbited Earth a staggering 3,520 times, racking up an impressive total of 93.3 million miles. This mission marked Pettit's fourth venture into the heavens, bringing his total time spent in orbit to over 18 months across a 29-year career.

Touchdown with Style

Images from NASA capture the small capsule silhouetted against a breathtaking sunrise, descending gracefully towards the Earth. Upon landing, the astronauts cheered with thumbs-up as ground crews whisked them away to an inflatable medical tent for check-ups.

Ready for the Next Adventure!

NASA confirmed that Pettit was in good health following his return and was scheduled for a flight to Karaganda, eventually making his way to the Johnson Space Center in Texas. The journey didn’t just celebrate Pettit’s milestone birthday; it also underscored the incredible research accomplished during his time on the ISS, such as advancements in water sanitization, plant growth, and fire behavior in microgravity.

A Record-Breaking Expedition

Pettit’s mission was noteworthy, but it also echoed the challenges faced by previous astronauts. Just shy of nine months, his duration pales in comparison to the record set by NASA’s Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who endured an extended stay due to technical mishaps with their return craft. As Pettit adjusts to life back on Earth, he leaves behind a legacy of exploration and innovation—and perhaps a sense of wonder about what the next chapter holds.