Three Astronauts Just Landed After 102 Million Miles in Orbit

Keypoints:

• • • Three astronauts returned after 241 days aboard the ISS.
    • They traveled more than 102 million miles in orbit.
    • Recovery now begins, with weeks of readjusting to Earth's gravity.
    • The mission shows NASA and Roscosmos are still working together despite political tensions.

241 days in orbit. More than 102 million miles traveled. That's the journey three astronauts completed before finally returning to Earth after nearly eight months aboard the International Space Station, circling the planet every 90 minutes at roughly 17,500 miles per hour.

NASA astronaut Chris Williams and two Roscosmos cosmonauts landed safely on July 27, wrapping up a mission filled with scientific experiments and routine station maintenance. Spending that long in microgravity takes a real toll on the body. Muscles weaken, bone density drops, and even standing or walking again can feel unfamiliar, which is why astronauts usually spend several weeks rebuilding strength and readjusting to Earth's gravity after landing.

The mission also highlights something that's easy to overlook. Despite years of political tension between the United States and Russia, NASA and Roscosmos have continued working together aboard the ISS, keeping one of the world's longest-running international scientific partnerships operating much as it has for more than two decades.