NASA Astronaut Chris Williams and Crewmates Return from Space Station

• NASA astronaut Chris Williams and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev returned to Earth on Sunday after a 241-day mission on the International Space Station (ISS).
• The crew landed safely in the Soyuz MS-28 spacecraft near Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan, at 5:27 a.m. CDT.

Mission Overview

• The mission spanned 241 days, during which the crew orbited Earth 3,856 times and traveled over 102 million miles.
• The crew launched to the ISS on Nov. 27, 2025.
• This was the first spaceflight for Williams and Mikaev, and the second for Kud-Sverchkov.

Scientific and Operational Contributions

• Williams conducted research aimed at developing new cancer treatments and improving in-space manufacturing for high-performance computing and electronics.
• He performed two spacewalks to prepare the station for power system upgrades and to replace a faulty joint on the Canadarm2 robotic arm.

Future Implications

• The mission supports NASA's ongoing efforts to prepare for long-duration human spaceflight to the Moon via the Artemis program and eventually to Mars.
• The work conducted on the ISS continues to advance research that is impossible to perform on Earth.

Return Logistics

• Following initial medical evaluations in Kazakhstan, the crew will travel to Karaganda for recovery team processing.
• Williams will then be transported via NASA aircraft to the Johnson Space Center in Houston.