US astronaut and Russian colleagues ended up in space after 220 days!

US astronaut and Russian colleagues ended up in space after 220 days!

Vienna, Österreich - On April 20, 2025, the Russian spaceship Soyuz MS-26 landed at 3:20 a.m. CEST in the steppe of Kazakhstan. The American Don Pettit and the Russians Alexej Owtschinin and Iwan Wagner were on board. The return marks the conclusion of a total of 220-day mission at the international space station ISS, which began on September 11, 2024.

During their stay in the ISS, the astronauts circled the earth 3,520 times and covered a distance of around 93.3 million miles (approx. 150 million kilometers). Despite the existing political tensions between the United States and Russia, the cooperation in space travel has always had a top priority. US astronauts continue to use Russian spaceships for trips to the ISS, which underlines the importance of this international cooperation.

international cooperation in space travel

The ISS is considered one of the greatest technology projects of all time and is a prime example of peaceful cooperation between different cultures. Since its first crew on November 2, 2000, the space station has been continuously inhabited. The builders of the ISS are the USA, Russia, Japan, Canada and ten member states of the European Space Organization (ESA): Belgium, Denmark, Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and Spain.

The ISS is not only a place for scientific experiments, but also a symbol of determination to strengthen intercultural partnerships. In an international symposium that took place in Berlin in early May 2012, the ISS was recognized for its role as an outpost of humanity. Almost 300 representatives from politics, business and science came together to discuss the use of the ISS for the benefit of humanity. ESA General Director Jean-Jacques Dordain confirmed the durability of the partnerships that go beyond the ISS.

scientific knowledge and future perspectives

The scientific possibilities on board the ISS are diverse. Since 2001, around 900 experiments from 63 countries in areas such as material sciences, quantum and astrophysics, life sciences and climatology have been carried out. This shows not only the great benefit of the space station for science, but also the innovative strength and the pioneering spirit that stands behind these projects.

The return of Pettit, Owtschinin and Wagner is another chapter in the successful history of the ISS and the international space cooperation, which will continue to serve as the basis for future success. With regard to the next few years, the future of the ISS remains promising, especially with regard to the continuing cooperation between the nations.