US-Russian ISS crew returns to Earth after 241-day mission

Three astronauts from NASA and Roscosmos landed in Kazakhstan, completing a mission that included spacewalks and microgravity research.

Talivio News · Global 28 July 2026, 03:54 2 min read

A multinational crew comprising NASA astronaut Chris Williams and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev returned to Earth on July 26, 2025, after spending 241 days aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Their Soyuz MS-28 spacecraft landed near Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan, at 10:27 GMT (5:27 a.m. CDT).

The mission completed 3,856 orbits of Earth and traveled more than 102 million miles (164 million kilometers). It was the first spaceflight for Williams and Mikaev, and the second for Kud-Sverchkov.

During the mission, Williams conducted two spacewalks: one to prepare the ISS for electrical power system upgrades and another to replace a faulty joint on the Canadarm2 robotic arm. He also participated in research on potential cancer treatments and advanced manufacturing in microgravity.

After landing, the crew flew by helicopter to Karaganda, Kazakhstan, for medical evaluations. Williams then returned to NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, while Kud-Sverchkov and Mikaev went to Star City, Russia.

The ISS has been continuously inhabited since November 2000—over 25 years. NASA states that research aboard the station supports advances in medicine, materials science, and technologies for future missions to the Moon and Mars.

The mission underscores one of the few remaining areas of cooperation between the US and Russia despite broader geopolitical tensions, according to reports.

Updates

Update — 28 July, 04:04

The Soyuz MS-28 spacecraft touched down on Sunday at 3:27 p.m. Kazakhstan time, landing southeast of Dzhezkazgan. During the mission, NASA astronaut Chris Williams focused on advancing material production techniques in space intended for high-performance computing and electronics.

Update — 28 July, 04:21

The Soyuz MS-28 spacecraft touched down on Sunday at 3:27 p.m. local time, landing southeast of Dzhezkazgan, Kazakhstan. During the mission, NASA astronaut Chris Williams specifically focused on research aimed at enhancing the production of materials in space for high-performance computing and electronic applications.

Sources