ISS Crew Returns
After Eight Months Aboard ISS, Crew Undocks for Return to Earth
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Key Points
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Jessica Meir assumed command of the International Space Station on July 25, signaling the start of Expedition 75.
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Undocking is planned from the ISS's Rassvet module, with undocking scheduled at 3:03 a.m. EDT.
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The hatch was closed at 11:45 p.m. EDT on July 25, setting the stage for the departure back to Earth.
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There is a discrepancy in reporting: one outlet describes Williams’ flight as his first space mission, while NASA coverage describes it as an eight-month tenure on the ISS.
NASA astronaut Chris Williams and two Russian cosmonauts sealed the hatch on the Soyuz MS-28 spacecraft at 11:45 p.m. EDT on July 25, beginning the final steps of their 241-day mission aboard the International Space Station. Undocking from the ISS's Rassvet module was set for 3:03 a.m. EDT, with a parachute-assisted landing on the Kazakh steppe near Dzhezkazgan expected around 6:25 a.m. EDT, according to NASA.
The departure closed out Expedition 74 and marked the start of Expedition 75. Before boarding Soyuz MS-28, the crew took part in a handover ceremony in which astronaut Jessica Meir formally assumed command of the station, WKNO FM reported.
Eight Months in Space, Then a Ride Home
Williams spent roughly eight months aboard the ISS alongside Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev. The trio worked through Expedition 74 operations before handing off the station to the incoming Expedition 75 crew. Their 241-day stay covered science experiments, maintenance tasks, and other station duties, according to NASA.
WKNO FM noted that Williams completed his 8-month mission before boarding Soyuz MS-28 for the trip home. The return journey — from undocking to touchdown — takes roughly three hours from start to finish. A deorbit burn kicks off the final descent about 15 minutes before reentry begins, NASA confirmed in its live coverage.
Hatch Sealed, Undocking Sequence Begins
The crew closed the hatch between Soyuz MS-28 and the station at 11:45 p.m. EDT on July 25. That step locked in the timeline for undocking and set leak checks in motion. NASA streamed the hatch closing live and confirmed the crew was in position for departure.
Undocking from the Rassvet docking port was planned for 3:03 a.m. EDT, with the deorbit burn starting around 5:15 a.m. EDT and landing targeted for 6:25 a.m. EDT. Fox News reported that NASA and Roscosmos crews sealed the ISS hatch together ahead of the scheduled return. The landing zone near Dzhezkazgan, Kazakhstan, is a well-used recovery site for Soyuz capsules.
Jessica Meir Takes Command as Expedition 75 Begins
Before the Soyuz crew departed, a formal command handover took place aboard the station. Jessica Meir assumed command of the ISS on July 25, marking the official start of Expedition 75. The ceremony is a standard tradition that ensures continuous leadership on the orbiting lab, according to NASA.
The handover keeps the station fully staffed and mission-ready as one crew leaves and another takes over. Expedition 75 will continue ongoing science and maintenance work aboard the ISS. Meir's promotion to station commander follows the operational model used for all ISS crew transitions, WKNO FM noted.
Live Coverage Spread Across NASA Platforms
NASA streamed the full return sequence live on NASA+, its website, and social media channels. Coverage included the deorbit burn, reentry, and touchdown near the Kazakh steppe. NASA kept real-time updates running on the ISS blog throughout the mission's final hours.
WKNO FM also carried the undocking coverage, listing the key times: undocking at 3:03 a.m. EDT (0703 UTC) and landing at 6:25 a.m. EDT (1025 UTC). The broad multi-platform push reflects NASA's standard approach for high-visibility crew return events.
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