ASTRONAUT JONNY KIM RETURNS HOME AFTER A 245 DAY TRIP ON THE ISS

Kim was the flight engineer on Expedition 72/73 and carried out various scientific experiments while in orbit. His results will not only improve medicine and research on Earth but will also provide crucial knowledge for NASA's Artemis project, which aims to send humans to Mars.

Astronaut Jonny Kim has returned to Earth after spending 245 days on the International Space Station. He and Russian Cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky made a safe landing in Kazakhstan before being taken to NASA's Johnson Space Centre in Houston.

While in space, he performed medical examinations in microgravity, grew dwarf tomato sprouts using a nutrient supplement rather than photosynthesis, tested hardware that encodes and transmits information via DNA sequences, investigated how high-concentration protein fluids behave in space, and conducted research on bone loss, which can affect astronauts on long flights. Kim was chosen by NASA to become an astronaut in 2017, beating out over 18,300 other applicants. His expertise as a naval aviator, flight surgeon, and former NAVY Seal made him an invaluable asset due to his extensive knowledge and endurance.

"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 we certainly have done a lot of amazing science in collaboration with all the international centres and academic institutions around the world with NASA, ESA, and JAXA," Kim said in a video. "But when I reflect about what was significant during this journey, I don't think about science. I mean, those are essential, but I'm reminded of the old adage that it's the people you're with that matter the most."

After documenting his stay in space on Instagram, he shared a different type of update upon his return. Kim stood quietly with his canines, including George, whom his family adopted during his absence.