NASA Sets Coverage for Astronaut Jonny Kim, Crewmates Return

The Final Countdown: NASA's Astronaut Jonny Kim and Crewmates Prepare for Return to Earth

As the clock ticks down to their historic return to Earth, NASA's astronaut Jonny Kim and his crewmates, Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky, are preparing for a dramatic conclusion to their 245-day mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The trio's Soyuz MS-27 spacecraft is set to undock from the station's Prichal module on Monday, December 8, at 8:41 p.m. EST, marking the beginning of their journey back to Earth.

A Record-Breaking Mission

Kim, Ryzhikov, and Zubritsky have spent an incredible 245 days in space, orbiting the Earth 3,920 times and traveling nearly 104 million miles. This was the first flight for Kim and Zubritsky to the orbiting laboratory, while Ryzhikov is ending his third trip to space. Their mission has been a groundbreaking success, with the crew conducting a wide range of scientific experiments and testing new technologies that will pave the way for future deep space missions.

The Change of Command Ceremony

On Sunday, December 7, at 10:30 a.m. EST, Ryzhikov will hand over station command to NASA astronaut Mike Fincke for Expedition 74, which begins at the time of Soyuz MS-27 undocking. This change of command ceremony will be broadcast live on NASA+, Amazon Prime, and the agency's YouTube channel, providing a Variety of online platforms for viewers to stream NASA content.

The Return Journey

After undocking from the ISS, the Soyuz MS-27 spacecraft will begin its journey back to Earth, with a parachute-assisted landing scheduled for 12:04 a.m. on Tuesday, December 9 (10:04 a.m. local time in Kazakhstan), on the steppe of Kazakhstan, southeast of the city of Dzhezkazgan. The crew will then fly by helicopter to Karaganda, Kazakhstan, where recovery teams are based. Kim will board a NASA aircraft and return to Houston, while Ryzhikov and Zubritsky will depart for their training base in Star City, Russia.

NASA's Coverage

NASA's coverage of the crew's return will be extensive, with live broadcasts on NASA+, Amazon Prime, and the agency's YouTube channel. The schedule is as follows:

• Sunday, December 7:
  • 10:30 a.m. - Expedition 73/74 change of command ceremony begins
• Monday, December 8:
  • 4:45 p.m. - Farewells and hatch closing coverage begins
  • 5:10 p.m. - Hatch closing
  • 8:15 p.m. - Undocking coverage begins
  • 8:41 p.m. - Undocking
  • 10:30 p.m. - Deorbit and landing coverage begins
  • 11:10 p.m. - Deorbit burn
• Tuesday, December 9:
  • 12:04 a.m. - Landing

The Future of Space Exploration

The return of astronaut Jonny Kim and his crewmates marks the end of an incredible chapter in the history of space exploration. As NASA looks to the future, the agency is focusing its resources on deep space missions to the Moon as part of the Artemis campaign in preparation for future human missions to Mars. The ISS has been a critical testbed for NASA to understand and overcome the challenges of long-duration spaceflight, and the knowledge and technologies gained from this mission will pave the way for future breakthroughs in space exploration.

Conclusion

The return of astronaut Jonny Kim and his crewmates is a testament to the incredible achievements of NASA's astronauts and the agency's commitment to pushing the boundaries of space exploration. As we look to the future, we can be proud of the progress we have made and excited for the new frontiers that await us.

Source: https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-sets-coverage-for-astronaut-jonny-kim-crewmates-return/