NASA Sets Coverage for Astronaut Don Pettit, Crewmates’ Return

NASA Sets Coverage for Astronaut Don Pettit, Crewmates’ Return to Earth After ISS Mission.
NASA has announced detailed coverage plans for the upcoming return of NASA astronaut Don Pettit and his fellow crewmates aboard the Soyuz spacecraft.
After completing a successful mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS), Pettit, alongside Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko and European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut André Kuipers, will soon make their way back to Earth.

This highly anticipated event marks the conclusion of an important chapter in human spaceflight and international collaboration. NASA has made arrangements to broadcast the entire process live, giving audiences around the world the rare opportunity to witness the careful and well-coordinated steps involved in bringing astronauts safely home from orbit.

Comprehensive Live Coverage

NASA’s coverage will include live video streaming of the Soyuz spacecraft’s undocking, deorbit burn, and final landing sequence. The entire event will be available to watch via NASA TV, the agency’s official website, and the NASA app. This ensures global accessibility for those eager to follow the journey of Pettit and his crewmates back to Earth.

In addition to the technical coverage of spacecraft operations, post-landing interviews and health updates on the returning crew members will also be shared. These updates provide insight into how the human body adjusts after extended periods in microgravity and highlight the incredible resilience and adaptability of astronauts.

Viewers can also expect mission highlights and recaps of the crew’s stay aboard the ISS. These summaries will showcase scientific experiments, technological demonstrations, and educational activities conducted during their mission, reflecting the ongoing importance of the ISS in supporting research that benefits life on Earth and future space exploration.

Mission Designation and Return Details

The return of Don Pettit and his colleagues is part of Expedition 71/72 (or the applicable mission designation, depending on the exact timeline). The crew is scheduled to leave the ISS aboard the Soyuz MS-XX spacecraft — the specific designation to be confirmed by NASA closer to the event.

Key details of the return include:

Return Vehicle: Soyuz MS-XX spacecraft

Landing Location: Steppes of Kazakhstan

Live Coverage Platforms: NASA TV, NASA’s official website, and the NASA app

Undocking Date & Time: [To be announced]

Landing Date & Time: [To be announced]


The Soyuz descent module carrying the crew is expected to make a parachute-assisted landing in Kazakhstan, where recovery teams from NASA and Roscosmos will be standing by to assist the astronauts upon arrival.

About Astronaut Don Pettit

A seasoned NASA astronaut, Don Pettit is known not only for his scientific expertise but also for his unique ability to communicate the wonders of space to the public. Over the course of his career, Pettit has spent a cumulative [months/years] in space across several missions. His work aboard the ISS has included countless experiments in microgravity, exploring topics ranging from fluid physics to materials science and plant biology.

Pettit is also widely recognized for his engaging educational outreach. His popular video series from space, where he demonstrated everyday phenomena in zero gravity, has inspired countless students and educators. These efforts highlight the importance of using spaceflight as a tool to excite and educate the next generation of scientists, engineers, and explorers.

What Happens After Landing

Once safely on the ground, Pettit, Kononenko, and Kuipers will undergo standard post-landing medical evaluations to monitor their readjustment to Earth’s gravity. These health checks are crucial for collecting data about the effects of long-duration spaceflight on the human body — information that is vital for planning future missions, including deep-space exploration to destinations like the Moon and Mars.

Pettit’s return will mark the completion of yet another significant mission, contributing valuable scientific findings and operational experience to support humanity’s ongoing quest to explore beyond our home planet.