Seoul, South Korea – NASA announced today that South Korean-American astronaut Jonny Kim, 41, has returned safely to Earth. This follows his successful completion of an eight-month mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS).
The Soyuz MS-27 spacecraft, carrying Kim and his two fellow Russian cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky, landed in the steppes southeast of Zhezkazkhan in Kazakhstan at 10:03 a.m. local time (2:03 p.m. Korean time).
A smile after landing
The astronauts were assisted in exiting the spacecraft’s descent module. Johnny Kim initially appeared nervous upon exiting. However, he quickly sat down in a pre-arranged chair, smiled, greeted the rescuers, and waved, according to Yonhap News Agency.
Kim underwent a quick medical examination and received a traditional Russian matryoshka doll with his face engraved on it, which he held up with a bright smile reflecting the joy of returning.
A historic mission that lasted 245 days
Jonny Kim arrived at the International Space Station on April 8. He spent 245 days there conducting research and scientific experiments. This mission marked Jonny Kim’s first since being selected as an astronaut by NASA in 2017. It also marked the first time a Korean-American astronaut had participated in a space mission.
During his stay, Kim orbited the Earth 3,920 times, traveling a distance of approximately 104 million miles (167.37 million kilometers).
Kim had said at a farewell ceremony before leaving the station: “My time with these pioneers has been one of the greatest honors of my life. They have become a new family to me after I left my own.”
Soldier, doctor, and astronaut
Johnny Kim is known for his diverse and distinguished career; he’s not just a NASA astronaut. He previously served as a U.S. Navy SEAL and participated in the Iraq War. He has completed over 100 special operations. After his military service, he studied medicine and graduated from Harvard Medical School as a resident physician. He currently holds the rank of Navy Lieutenant Commander, pilot, and flight doctor.
Johnny Kim is scheduled to return to Houston, Texas, on a NASA plane, while his two Russian colleagues are heading to the Star City training base in Russia.
