A 70-year-old American astronaut was in poor condition upon landing with a Russian astronaut.
He appeared less lucid as he emerged from the capsule.
On April 21, both SpaceNews in the United States and TASS in Russia published articles simultaneously.
On April 20, 2025, the Russian Soyuz MS-26 spacecraft landed safely on the Kazakhstan steppe, returning to Earth one American astronaut and two Russian astronauts.
Interestingly, this day was also the 70th birthday of American astronaut Don Pettit.
When Pettit emerged from the capsule, he appeared less lucid. Some pointed out that his head was tilted, which sparked speculation about possible health issues.
The commentators expressed concern over the fact that the American astronaut had completed the landing, but did not confirm Pettit's condition in detail. This suggests that adaptation may be difficult after long-duration flights, especially at the age of 70.
In a post from space on April 18, Pettit wrote: "After seven months aboard the space station, we will return aboard our Soyuz spacecraft, landing on the steppes of Kazakhstan. When our capsule thumps down on those desert plains, I will actually be on the other side of the Earth, nearly 12,000 miles from home. Yet, I am coming home."
NASA astronaut wrote on social media platform X: "It is bittersweet to say goodbye to Don Pettit today, as he has had an incredible mission and inspired many while he was here."
Upon landing on Earth, the Soyuz MS-26 and its crew were met by Russian rescue forces and NASA medical personnel. Don Pettit was carried into a medical tent shortly after returning to Earth from the International Space Station.
This was Pettit's fourth spaceflight, and after landing on Saturday, his total career time in space reached 590 days.
Wishing him a speedy recovery!
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1829968764230784/
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