According to NASA, astronaut Chris Williams and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev will land in Kazakhstan today at 3.55 pm IST aboard the Soyuz MS-28 capsule, concluding a 241-day mission that involved 3,856 orbits and more than 102 million miles of space travel.
Crew Missions and Station Operations on Expedition 74
The returning crew members spent more than eight months maintaining the laboratory and supporting research on how human bodies, cells, and materials react to microgravity, as reported by NASA. Sergey Kud-Sverchkov served as commander of Expedition 74 before handing over station leadership to NASA astronaut Jessica Meir. According to mission records, this flight marked the second trip to orbit for Kud-Sverchkov, while serving as a first journey for both flight engineer Sergei Mikaev and astronaut Chris Williams.
During the mission in May, Kud-Sverchkov and Mikaev conducted a six-hour spacewalk in Russian Orlan spacesuits outside the station hull. NASA noted that the cosmonauts fitted an instrument to measure solar radiation while simultaneously stripping older physics and microbiology experiments from the exterior of the spacecraft.
Did you know?
During their 241 days in space, the Soyuz MS-28 crew traveled more than 102 million miles across 3,856 complete orbits of Earth.
The Physics of a Soyuz De-Orbit and Re-Entry
To drop out of orbit from a speed of approximately 28,000 kmph, the Soyuz capsule must slow down rather than speed up, according to mission profiles. The spacecraft fires its engine directly against its direction of travel in a maneuver known as the de-orbit burn. NASA explains that this trims the orbital speed by barely more than 100 meters per second, allowing Earth’s gravity to pull the craft back down.
Moments before re-entry, the Soyuz sheds two of its three structural sections. Only the bell-shaped descent module carrying the crew is engineered to survive the plunge, while the remaining hardware burns away. Contrary to popular belief, the extreme heat of re-entry is not caused by atmospheric friction. NASA states that the capsule travels so fast it crushes the air directly in front of it, and squeezing gas heats it violently.
This compressed wall of gas forms plasma—atoms ripped apart by extreme heat—reaching temperatures between 1,500 and 2,000 degrees Celsius. An ablative heat shield on the base of the capsule chars and flakes away to safely dissipate the heat. This plasma layer also temporarily blocks radio communications, causing a routine radio blackout during the descent.
The Physical Toll of Gravity Upon Landing
During the atmospheric plunge, the crew experiences four to five times their normal body weight, according to mission data. Near the ground, a small drogue parachute stabilizes the descent before a large main canopy deploys, followed by small rockets firing downward one meter above the surface to cushion the impact. Even with these dampening systems, NASA reports that astronauts often liken the landing impact to a car crash.
The greater ordeal for returning spacefliers is readapting to Earth’s gravity. Despite completing two hours of daily exercise in orbit, bones thin by one to two percent each month and muscles waste away over an eight-month stay. Furthermore, blood that pools in the chest during weightlessness rapidly drops to the legs upon return, leaving many crew members too dizzy to stand on their own.
Recovery teams will lift each crew member out of the capsule, perform quick medical checks, and transport them by helicopter to Karaganda. From there, NASA confirms that Williams will board a flight to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, while Kud-Sverchkov and Mikaev travel back to Star City in Russia.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did the Soyuz MS-28 crew launch into space?
According to NASA, the crew launched from Baikonur on November 27, 2025.
How long was the mission for Chris Williams, Sergey Kud-Sverchkov, and Sergei Mikaev?
The mission lasted 241 days, encompassing 3,856 orbits and more than 102 million miles.
What causes the bright glow and extreme heat during capsule re-entry?
NASA explains that the heat is caused by the capsule compressing the air in front of it at hypersonic speeds, creating plasma temperatures between 1,500 and 2,000 degrees Celsius.
Where do the astronauts go immediately after landing?
Recovery teams fly the crew by helicopter to Karaganda for initial checks, after which Williams heads to Houston and the cosmonauts return to Star City.
Explore More: Want to stay updated on future orbital missions and astronaut recoveries? Subscribe to our newsletter for breaking space updates, or explore our archives for more in-depth coverage of human spaceflight.