NASA 우주비행사 Mark Vandy는 2022년 3월 30일 수요일 카자흐스탄 지즈카즈간(Jizkazgan)시 인근 외딴 지역에 러시아 우주인 Anton Shkaplerov 및 Pyotr Dubrov와 함께 착륙한 후 소유즈 MS-19 우주선 외부에서 볼 수 있습니다. Vandey와 Dubrov는 Log 후 지구로 돌아갑니다. 국제 우주 정거장에서 미션 64-66의 일원으로 우주에서 355일. Vande Hei에게 그의 임무는 역사상 미국 우주비행사의 가장 긴 우주 비행입니다. Shkaplerov는 Expedition 65의 항공 엔지니어이자 Expedition 66의 사령관으로 근무한 후 176일 만에 우주로 돌아왔습니다. 출처: NASA/Bill Ingalls

미국인 역사상 가장 긴 단일 우주 비행 기록을 355일로 연장한 후,[{” attribute=””>NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei returned to Earth on Wednesday, March 30, 2022, along with Roscosmos cosmonauts Anton Shkaplerov and Pyotr Dubrov.

The trio departed the International Space Station at 3:21 a.m. EDT and made a safe, parachute-assisted landing at 7:28 a.m. (5:28 p.m. Kazakhstan time) southeast of the remote town of Dzhezkazgan, Kazakhstan.

“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. “Our astronauts make incredible sacrifices in the name of science, exploration, and cutting-edge technology development, not least among them time away from loved ones. NASA and the nation are proud to welcome Mark home and grateful for his incredible contributions throughout his year-long stay on the International Space Station.”

The Soyuz MS-19 crew ship carrying NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei and two cosmonauts is pictured moments before landing under the clear, blue skies of Kazakhstan. Credit: NASA

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 the exploration of Mars.

Vande Hei launched on April 9, 2021, alongside Russian cosmonauts Oleg Novitskiy and Pyotr Dubrov. His second journey into space of 355 days is the longest single spaceflight by a U.S. astronaut, previously held at 340 days, and gives him a lifetime total of 523 days in space. Dubrov also remained on board for 355 days on his first spaceflight.

Supporting NASA’s goals for future human landings on the Moon, Vande Hei completed approximately 5,680 orbits of the Earth and a journey of more than 150 million miles, roughly the equivalent of 312 trips to the Moon and back. He witnessed the arrival of 15 visiting spacecraft and new modules, and the departure of 14 visiting spacecraft.

Following post-landing medical checks, the crew will return to the recovery staging city in Karaganda, Kazakhstan, aboard Russian helicopters. Vande Hei will board a NASA plane bound for Cologne, Germany, for refueling prior to his return home. Shkaplerov and Dubrov will board a Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center aircraft to return to their home in Star City, Russia.

During his record mission, Vande Hei spent many hours on scientific activities aboard the space station, conducting everything from plant research to physical sciences studies.

With the undocking of the Soyuz MS-19 spacecraft with Vande Hei, Shkaplerov, and Dubrov aboard, Expedition 67 officially began aboard the station. NASA astronaut Tom Marshburn recently took over as station commander, and is joined by NASA astronauts Raja Chari and Kayla Barron, ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Matthias Maurer, and Roscosmos cosmonauts Oleg Artemyev, Denis Matveev, and Sergey Korsakov.

Marshburn, Chari, Barron and Maurer will remain onboard until late April, when NASA astronauts Kjell Lindgren, Bob Hines, and Jessica Watkins, as well as ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti launch to the station as part of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-4 mission.