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Oldest serving US astronaut returns from space on 70th birthday
America’s oldest serving astronaut has touched down on Earth on his 70th birthday.
NASA astronaut Donald Pettit and two Russian cosmonauts had been on a seven-month mission to the International Space Station (ISS).
The Soyuz MS-26 spacecraft carrying Mr Pettit and Russians Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner landed in Kazakhstan on Sunday.
“Its deorbiting and descent to Earth were normal,” Russia’s Roscosmos space agency said.
The Soyuz MS-26 spacecraft returning to Earth. Pic: AP
The crew’s seven-month science mission started on 11 September 2024. They orbited the Earth 3,520 times over 220 days in space.
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The spacecraft lands in Kazakhstan. Pic: AP
Mr Pettit 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.