The grueling 146-day marathon of Expedition 35 concludes in Kazakhstan

Space · Published 13 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Space exploration is often framed as a series of isolated events, but the reality is a grueling marathon of endurance. The crew of Expedition 35 just completed a 146-day mission, balancing high-stakes repairs and legislative testimony with the constant demands of living in orbit.

On May 14, local time, the Expedition 35 crew successfully concluded their stay at the International Space Station. The return journey utilized a Soyuz spacecraft, which executed a parachute-assisted landing in Kazakhstan. This mission served as a final chapter for a crew that spent nearly five months in space, including Canadian Space Agency Commander Chris Hadfield, Russian Federal Space Agency Soyuz Commander Roman Romanenko, and NASA Flight Engineer Tom Marshburn.

The mission was defined by intense technical labor and public engagement. Just hours before their departure, Tom Marshburn and astronaut Chris Cassidy performed a 5-hour and 30-minute spacewalk. Their primary objective was the replacement of a malfunctioning coolant pump located on the station's P6 truss. Beyond physical labor, the mission also involved diplomatic and educational outreach; Marshburn participated in a live television event to brief a U.S. Senate subcommittee on the ongoing work and progress of the International Space Station.

While these human missions push the boundaries of biology and engineering, they exist alongside long-term robotic exploration. For instance, NASA's twin rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, were deployed to opposite sides of Mars to investigate ancient water signatures. While Spirit traveled 4.8 miles, Opportunity set a record by driving 28.06 miles. Together, these human and robotic efforts form a multi-layered strategy to understand our solar system, from the orbital maintenance of the ISS to the geological history of the Red Planet.

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