Touch down! ISS crew returns after seven months in space

A NASA astronaut and two Russian cosmonauts have returned to Earth from the International Space Station (ISS).

A Soyuz MS-26 spacecraft carrying American Donald Pettit and Russians Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Wagner landed in Kazakhstan on Sunday.

"Its deorbiting and descent to Earth were normal," Russia's Roscosmos space agency said.

Image: The Soyuz MS-26 spacecraft returning to Earth. Pic: AP

The crew had undertaken a seven-month science mission aboard the ISS, starting from 11 September 2024.

They orbited the Earth 3,520 times over 220 days in space.

The Soyuz MS-26 spacecraft lands in Kazakhstan. Pic: AP — Image: The spacecraft lands in Kazakhstan. Pic: AP

Mr Pettit, who returned to Earth on his 70th birthday, had been conducting research to enhance in-orbit metal 3D printing capabilities, advance water sanitisation technologies, explore plant growth under varying water conditions and investigate fire behaviour in microgravity, according to NASA.

It was the fourth time in space for Mr Pettit and Mr Ovchinin, while it was Mr Vagner's second spaceflight.