A record-breaking return for the crew of Expedition 44

Space · Published 8 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: After months orbiting the Earth, three astronauts and cosmonauts have finally touched down in Kazakhstan. Among them is Gennady Padalka, who has just pushed his lifetime total of time spent in space to a staggering 879 days across five separate flights.

On September 12, a traditional ceremony was held at an airport in Karaganda, Kazakhstan, to welcome the crew of the Soyuz TMA-16M spacecraft. Alongside visiting members Andreas Mogensen from the European Space Agency (ESA) and Aidyn Aimbetov of the Kazakh Space Agency (Kazcosmos), the returning group featured Roscosmos Expedition 44 Commander Gennady Padalka. The landing took place a few hours after the spacecraft touched down. This arrival marked the conclusion of their time aboard the station.

The mission durations for the returning trio varied significantly. Padalka concluded a 168-day mission that began in late March. In contrast, Mogensen and Aimbetov were visiting crew members whose stay in space lasted only ten days. Their primary role was to deliver a fresh Soyuz spacecraft to the International Space Station complex. The crew's arrival also facilitated the return of various scientific samples. These items were brought back to Earth alongside the astronauts.

This homecoming occurred while other crew members were still conducting research. For instance, NASA astronaut Scott Kelly and Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko were marking the midpoint of their ambitious one-year mission on September 15. While the Expedition 44 crew returned to Earth, the Expedition 45 crew was already preparing for upcoming shipments to the station. The return of the Soyuz TMA-16M occurred on a Friday. This event took place just as the next mission was being organised.

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