US and Russian Astronauts Land Safely in Kazakhstan After 8 Months in Orbit

A smooth landing on the steppes of Kazakhstan marked the end of an extended stay in space for a joint US-Russian crew. The Soyuz MS-28 capsule parachuted down southeast of the city of Dzhezkazgan on Sunday, bringing the three crew members back to Earth after more than eight months aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

On board were NASA astronaut Chris Williams and Russian cosmonauts Sergei Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev. For Williams and Mikaev, this was their first flight beyond Earth’s atmosphere, while Kud-Sverchkov was completing his second trip into orbit. Together, the three carried out a mission lasting 241 days.

Immediately after landing, the crew will travel by helicopter to the city of Karaganda. From there, they will go their separate ways: Williams will fly to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, while the two Russian cosmonauts will return to their training center in Star City, near Moscow.

This joint mission comes at a time when diplomatic relations between the United States and Russia are strained. Nevertheless, cooperation in space continues uninterrupted, with astronauts from both nations regularly traveling together to the ISS and taking part in the same scientific exploration missions.