NASA astronaut Chris Williams and Russian cosmonauts Sergei Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev safely landed aboard the Soyuz MS-28 spacecraft in Kazakhstan at approximately 3:27 p.m. local time, southeast of the city of Dzhezkazgan.
According to NASA, the crew spent 241 days in space, completing 3,856 orbits around Earth and traveling more than 102 million miles while conducting scientific research designed to help “improve life on Earth” and to prepare for future missions to the Moon and Mars.
Williams’ work focused on advancing “research into new cancer treatments and improving the production of materials for high-performance computers and electronics in space,” Euronews quoted the space agency’s press release as saying.
“In addition, Williams performed two spacewalks to prepare for the upgrade of the station’s power system and to replace a faulty joint on the Canadarm2 robotic arm,” NASA added.
The Russian space agency Roscosmos reported that, as part of the ISS-74 mission, one Russian spacewalk was conducted to install equipment for the “Sun-Terahertz,” which will study the Sun’s terahertz radiation.
The crew also received two Russian “Progress MS” cargo spacecraft carrying vital supplies needed to sustain life on the ISS, including water, fuel, and atmospheric gases, Roscosmos noted.
Thenext expedition will conclude in the spring of 2027
The relief crew, consisting of NASA astronaut Anil Menon and Roscosmos cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina, arrived at the ISS this month aboard the Soyuz MS-29 spacecraft.
At the station, they joined NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hataway, European Space Agency astronaut Sophie Adeno, and cosmonaut Andrei Fedyaev ahead of the expedition, which began on Sunday and will conclude in the spring of 2027.
According to NASA, during this expedition, the crew will study “in-space manufacturing technologies, as well as methods for using augmented reality and artificial intelligence.”
