NASA astronaut Chris Williams returns to Earth after eight-month space station mission

NASA astronaut Chris Williams has returned to Earth following an eight-month mission aboard the International Space Station, landing safely alongside Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev. The crew touched down on Sunday at 5:27 a.m. CDT (3:27 p.m. Kazakhstan time) southeast of Dzhezkazgan, Kazakhstan, aboard the Soyuz MS-28 spacecraft.

The landing followed a parachute-assisted descent after the crew departed the space station at 2:03 a.m. The mission lasted 241 days, during which the team orbited the Earth 3,856 times and travelled more than 102 million miles. The trio launched to the station on 27 November 2025, marking the first spaceflight for Williams and Mikaev, and the second for Kud-Sverchkov.

During their tenure on the orbiting laboratory, Williams supported a range of scientific investigations and technology demonstrations. His work included advancing research into new cancer treatments and improving the in-space manufacturing of materials used in high-performance computers and electronics.

Williams also completed two spacewalks to prepare for power system upgrades on the station. One of these extravehicular activities involved replacing a faulty joint on the Canadarm2 robotic arm, ensuring the continued functionality of critical station systems.

The crew’s activities contribute to the International Space Station’s legacy of continuous human presence for more than 25 years. The platform serves as a testbed for understanding human spaceflight challenges, expanding commercial opportunities in low Earth orbit, and building foundations for long-duration missions to the Moon under the Artemis program and to Mars.

Following post-landing medical checks, the crew will travel by helicopter to Karaganda, Kazakhstan, where recovery teams are based. Williams will subsequently board a NASA aircraft bound for the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.