NASA’s oldest astronaut, Don Pettit, made a triumphant return to Earth after an impressive 7-month mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Celebrating his 70th birthday, Pettit’s homecoming raised eyebrows as many noted his seemingly frail appearance following his landing in Kazakhstan.

Along with fellow Roscosmos cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner, Pettit departed the ISS on Saturday at 5:57 p.m. ET, safely landing with a parachute at 9:20 p.m. ET. Despite some concerns from viewers watching NASA’s live feed, who speculated about Pettit’s health, the agency was quick to clarify the situation.

"According to NASA officials at the landing site, @Astro_Pettit is doing well and is within the expected range post-return," the agency assured on social media. They referenced a pre-departure interview where Pettit humorously noted that adjusting back to life on Earth is a unique experience: "When I land, it takes me about 24 hours to feel like I’m a human being again." And in a laugh-worthy moment, he mentioned the possibility of needing to 'empty his stomach' in an unexpected way after the trip.

During his eventful 220 days in orbit, Pettit engaged in groundbreaking research and eye-catching experiments in microgravity. When he wasn't nurturing plants or studying fire behavior in space, he dazzled his followers with breathtaking photographs of Earth.

This mission marked Pettit’s fourth time venturing into space, contributing to an astounding total of 590 days spent in orbit. His journey began on November 23, 2002, aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour. Originally set for two and a half months, that mission expanded to nearly six months due to the tragic Columbia Shuttle disaster, which claimed the lives of all seven astronauts and paused the Shuttle program.

While Pettit holds the title of the oldest active astronaut, he is not the oldest person to have traveled to space. That honor goes to John Glenn, who ventured into space aboard the Shuttle Discovery at the age of 77 in 1998. Additionally, Peggy Whitson made history as the oldest woman to orbit Earth at 63 when she commanded a private mission to the ISS in 2023.

While Glenn's outing lasted just nine days as a payload specialist studying aging and spaceflight effects, Pettit's extensive time in the cosmos continues to push boundaries in space exploration and research.