Soyuz MS-27 Crew Returns After 245 Days: Two Cosmonauts and NASA Astronaut Land Safely in Kazakhstan

Two Russian cosmonauts and an American astronaut have returned safely to Earth after an eight-month mission aboard the International Space Station. Soyuz MS-27 crewmates Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky of Roscosmos, together with NASA astronaut Jonny Kim, touched down on the snow-dusted Kazakh steppe on Tuesday, Dec. 9.

The Soyuz capsule descended under parachute and used braking thrusters to soften its landing, reaching the ground at 12:03 a.m. EST (0503 GMT; 10:03 a.m. local time). A combined Roscosmos and NASA recovery team was quickly on site to help the crew from the spacecraft and settle them into chairs for initial medical checks. Zubritsky was moved directly into an inflatable medical tent for further assessment; Ryzhikov and Kim appeared in good condition and spirits.

Mission Handover And Journey Home

The crew undocked from the station's Prichal module on Dec. 8 at 8:41 p.m. EST (0141 GMT Tuesday), formally ending Expedition 73 and marking the start of Expedition 74. After post-landing checks the astronauts will be flown by helicopter to Karaganda, Kazakhstan. Kim is scheduled to fly onward to Houston aboard a NASA aircraft, while Ryzhikov and Zubritsky will return to the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia.

"Congratulations on one more end of a Soyuz vehicle trip. Expedition 73, all tasks complete. The crew are feeling great," said Sergey Ryzhikov after landing.

Life And Work On Station

During their 245 days in low Earth orbit, Ryzhikov, Zubritsky and Kim conducted hundreds of scientific investigations and technology demonstrations, supported station maintenance, and managed arrivals and departures of uncrewed cargo ships. Notable resupply operations during their mission included the upgraded Northrop Grumman Cygnus XL and JAXA's new HTV-X cargo vehicle.

Ryzhikov and Zubritsky completed two spacewalks to install science experiments and to relocate a controller for the European Robotic Arm on the exterior of the Russian segment.

At a change-of-command ceremony, Kim reflected on the human side of long missions: "What I think I'm going to remember most is the bond that we shared together...I firmly believe that love is the greatest thing an astronaut can have for each other and for the people that they work with and for our lovely planet."

Crew Notes And Historical Context

Ryzhikov, 51, was the only veteran on Soyuz MS-27; his cumulative time in space places him among a small group of people with the highest total flight durations. He previously served on Expeditions 50 (2016) and 64 (2021). Alexey Zubritsky, 33, is listed as the 630th person to reach orbit, while Jonny Kim, 41, who previously served as a U.S. Navy SEAL and then as a physician, is the 631st.

Soyuz MS-27 marks Russia's 73rd Soyuz-class mission to the ISS since 2000 and the 156th Soyuz flight since 1967.

Remaining aboard the station as Expedition 74 are commander Mike Fincke and NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Chris Williams; JAXA astronaut Kimiya Yui; and Roscosmos cosmonauts Oleg Platonov, Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergey Mikaev. In late November, Kud-Sverchkov, Mikaev and Williams arrived after a Soyuz launch that followed significant damage to Russia's only remaining launch pad capable of station flights.