Sophie Adenot and Crew-12 begin ISS return flight after record 235 days in orbit

Undocking and orbital return schedule

The four members of the Crew-12 expedition are scheduled to leave the International Space Station on Wednesday, 7 October, to begin their return flight to Earth. Flight preparations aboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule commenced with the official closure of the spacecraft hatch at 12:20 Paris time. Mechanical undocking and separation from the station is scheduled for 14:05 Paris time (12:05 GMT). After separating from the orbital outpost, the spacecraft will navigate an automated orbital descent trajectory toward Earth. The return flight concludes with splashdown scheduled off the coast of California on Thursday, 8 October, at 17:34 Paris time.

European continuous duration record

The return concludes a 235-day mission at an orbital altitude of 400 kilometres above Earth, establishing a new endurance benchmark for European space exploration. French astronaut Sophie Adenot sets the record for the longest continuous orbital stay completed by any European astronaut. Adenot and her Crew-12 colleagues first arrived aboard the International Space Station in February. The four-person crew includes French astronaut Sophie Adenot, American astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, and Russian cosmonaut Andrei Fedyaev. Over the course of the 235-day expedition, the international crew maintained station systems and carried out scientific research at an altitude of 400 kilometres.

Command handover to Crew-13

Operational handover procedures on the orbital complex were completed earlier in the week to prepare for the crew rotation. Crew-12 officially transferred mission responsibilities to their incoming colleagues on Crew-13 during a formal change-of-command ceremony on Sunday. American astronaut Jessica Meir formally yielded command of the orbital complex to Roscosmos cosmonaut Pyotr Dubrov. Speaking during the ceremony, Meir addressed the departure of the long-duration expedition, describing the handover as a "bittersweet moment" for the crew and pointing to a "whirlwind of mixed emotions" as they prepared to conclude their station mission.

Crew reflections prior to splashdown

Members of the crew shared their personal reflections during the final days of the mission before entering the return vehicle. On 30 September, Adenot posted a statement on the social media platform X, describing the mixed emotions of leaving the orbital outpost and concluding nearly eight months of life in weightlessness.

I look around me and I realize how much I am going to miss microgravity, just like this incredible view of our beautiful blue planet. Looking forward to returning and, at the same time, wanting it to continue a little longer. I think we all know this feeling.

Following the 14:05 undocking on Wednesday, the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule will maneuver away from the space station and begin its orbital phasing burns. The 235-day spaceflight will conclude with atmospheric re-entry and a parachute splashdown off the California coast on Thursday at 17:34 Paris time, where recovery vessels will retrieve the crew members.