As Expedition 44 departs, the crew prepares for their return to Earth

Space · Published 8 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Witness the final moments of Expedition 44 as the Soyuz crew prepares to undock from the International Space Station, marking the conclusion of a mission filled with diverse scientific research.

This video captures the departure of Commander Gennady Padalka of Roscosmos and Flight Engineers Andreas Mogensen of the ESA and Aidyn Aimbetov of Kazcosmos. Before closing the Soyuz hatch, the crew bid farewell to the remaining residents of the station.

The mission was a period of significant scientific activity, including the commencement of the Twins study. Beyond human research, the crew worked on growing salad crops, monitoring station microbes, and observing liquid crystals to support advancements in electronics.

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