NASA and Roscosmos Crew Returns to Earth After 8 Months on ISS
- A crew consisting of one NASA astronaut and two Russian cosmonauts returned to Earth on July 26, 2026, after spending 241 days aboard the International Space Station (ISS).
- The mission concluded after eight months in orbit, marking the end of a long-duration stay for the three crew members.
- The descent was executed using the Soyuz MS-28 capsule, a Russian-built spacecraft designed for crew transport to and from the orbiting laboratory.
A crew consisting of one NASA astronaut and two Russian cosmonauts returned to Earth on July 26, 2026, after spending 241 days aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The crew arrived safely in Kazakhstan via the Soyuz MS-28 spacecraft, according to reports from Infobae and López-Dóriga Digital.
The mission concluded after eight months in orbit, marking the end of a long-duration stay for the three crew members. Merca2.es identified NASA astronaut Chris Williams as part of the returning group that landed on July 26.
Soyuz MS-28 Landing in Kazakhstan
The descent was executed using the Soyuz MS-28 capsule, a Russian-built spacecraft designed for crew transport to and from the orbiting laboratory. According to América TeVé, the landing took place in Kazakhstan, the standard recovery site for Soyuz missions.
The crew spent a total of 241 days in the microgravity environment of the ISS.
Crew Composition and Mission Duration
The returning team included a mix of international partners, specifically two cosmonauts from Russia and one astronaut from the United States.
The timeline of the mission is verified across multiple reports, with Infobae and KCH FM confirming the eight-month orbital period. The specific landing date of July 26, 2026, was cited by Merca2.es and López-Dóriga Digital.
Technical Context of the Soyuz Return
According to the reports, the landing was described as safe, indicating that the descent and recovery operations proceeded without technical failure.