After extending the record for the longest single spaceflight in history by an American to 355 days, NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei returned to Earth on Wednesday with two Russian crewmates.
Vande Hei departed the International Space Station along with Russian cosmonauts Anton Shkaplerov and Pyotr Dubrov at 3:21 am Eastern Day Time (EDT), and made a safe, parachute-assisted landing at 7:28 am EDT southeast of the remote town of Dzhezkazgan, Kazakhstan, according to NASA.
"Mark's mission is not only record-breaking, but also paving the way for future human explorers on the Moon, Mars, and beyond," said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson.
Vande Hei's extended mission will provide researchers the opportunity to observe the effects of long-duration spaceflight on humans as the agency plans to return to the Moon under the Artemis program and prepare for exploration of Mars, according to NASA.
Vande Hei and the two Russian cosmonauts launched on the Soyuz MS-18 rocket on April 9, 2021. Vande Hei's second journey into space of 355 days is the longest single spaceflight by a US astronaut, previously held at 340 days, according to NASA.
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