Photo: NASA/Josh Valcarcel
Astronaut Jonny Kim has returned to Earth after 245 days aboard the International Space Station. He, along with Russian Cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky, landed safely in Kazakhstan before he was flown to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.
During his time in space, Kim served as Expedition 72/73 flight engineer and conducted several scientific experiments. His findings will not only benefit medicine and science for all on Earth, but they will also provide valuable insight for NASA’s Artemis project in the pursuit of taking humans to Mars.
While in orbit, he completed medical check-ups in microgravity, grew dwarf tomato sprouts using a nutrient supplement instead of photosynthesis, tested hardware that encodes and transmits information via DNA sequences, studied how high-concentration protein fluids behave in space, and carried out research on bone loss, which can affect astronauts on long flights.
Kim was selected by NASA to become an astronaut in 2017, standing out from a pool of over 18,300 applicants. His background as naval aviator and flight surgeon, as well as a former NAVY Seal, turned him into a tremendous asset for his wide range of knowledge and endurance skills.
“As I near the end of my eight-month mission, I can’t help but think about a lot of the milestones that we’ve had, and so we certainly have done a lot of great science in concert with all the international centers and academic institutions around the world with NASA, ESA, JAXA,” Kim said in a video. “But when I really think about what was important during this mission, I don’t think about the science. I mean, those are important, but I kind of go back to that old saying that it’s the people you’re with that’s really important.”
Having chronicled his time in space on Instagram, he posted a different kind of update upon his return home. Kim calmly posed with his dogs, including one his family adopted during his absence named George.
To stay up to date with the incredibly accomplished astronaut, you can follow Jonny Kim on Instagram.
Astronaut Jonny Kim has returned to Earth after 245 days aboard the International Space Station.
During his time in space, Kim conducted several scientific experiments that provided valuable insight for NASA’s Artemis project.
While in orbit, he completed medical check-ups in microgravity and carried out research on bone loss, which can affect astronauts on long flights.
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Kim says, “When I really think about what was important during this mission, I don’t think about the science. I mean, those are important, but I kind of go back to that old saying that it’s the people you’re with that’s really important.”
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Jonny Kim: Instagram
Sources: NASA Astronaut Jonny Kim Advances Research Aboard Space Station; NASA Astronaut Jonny Kim, Crewmates Return from Space Station
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