Skip to main content
Space Space
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
RSS
  • Sign up to our newsletter Newsletter
    • Space Exploration
    • Astronomy
    • Stargazing
    • Launches & Spacecraft
    • Videos
    • The Moon
    • More
      • Subscribe to Our Newsletters
      • Live 4K Video from Space
      • Artemis
      • James Webb Space Telescope
      • Entertainment
      • Solar System
      • Technology
      • Search for Life
      • Get Space Magazines
      • About Us
      • Web Notifications
    Trending
    • A total lunar eclipse is coming!
    • Next Full Moon
    • Aurora Forecast
    • Live 4K Sen video from space!
    • Night sky tonight!
    • Space Calendar
    • Best Binoculars
    • Best Telescopes
    • Lego Star Wars deals
    • Best Drones
    • Solar System Planets
    • Best Star Projectors
    Recommended reading
    A space capsule makes an ocean splashdown under four orange and white parachutes
    International Space Station SpaceX's Crew-10 astronauts return to Earth after nearly 5 months in space (video)
    a boat on the left and AX 4 Dragon on the right during the recovery operations.
    Private Spaceflight Private Ax-4 astronauts splash down aboard SpaceX capsule to conclude ISS mission (video)
    seven people in polo shirts and slacks gather around a table to enjoy a meal together aboard a space station
    Private Spaceflight Rookie crewmates kept things fresh for Ax-4 astronaut Peggy Whitson: 'It's always great to relive a little bit of that first time'
    A white space capsule hangs upright, docked to the port of a space station. A robotic arm hangs to the left in the foreground.
    Private Spaceflight Private Ax-4 astronauts depart ISS after unexpected extended stay (video)
    The SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule Endurance undocks from the International Space Station on Aug. 8, 2025, initiating the return to Earth of the Crew-10 astronaut mission.
    International Space Station SpaceX's Crew-10 astronauts undock from ISS, head home to Earth (video)
    A streak of white zooms across the black background
    Human Spaceflight SpaceX Dragon carrying 4 astronauts zooms back to Earth | Space photo of the day for July 25, 2025
    Two men and two women, all wearing white pressure suits and helmets, pose for a photo together inside a space station module
    International Space Station Astronaut savors the moment and shares a stunning aurora shot | On the International Space Station July 28-Aug. 1, 2025
    1. Space Exploration
    2. Missions
    3. International Space Station

    In photos: NASA astronaut Christina Koch returns to Earth after record-breaking spaceflight

    News
    By Meghan Bartels published 6 February 2020

    When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

    NASA astronaut Christina Koch wrapped up her first stay on the International Space Station Feb. 6, 2020, and it is one for the record books. Koch arrived in space in March 2019 and spent a total of 328 days living and working in the orbiting laboratory.

    Koch's stay set a new record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman, breaking the record previously set by NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson. It was also the second-longest single spaceflight by a NASA astronaut, after Scott Kelly's yearlong mission in 2015.. During her time in space, Koch worked on a host of science experiments and performed spacewalks including the first ever performed by two women.

    Also in the Soyuz capsule Koch rode home were Russian cosmonaut Alexander Skvortsov and European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano. Remaining in orbit are NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Andrew Morgan and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Skripochka. A new trio of crewmembers is slated to launch in April to join them.

    Full story: Astronaut Christina Koch lands on Earth after record-setting flight 

    Page 1 of 13
    Page 1 of 13

    Landing personnel reached the Soyuz capsule shortly after it touched down on Feb. 6, 2020. 

    Page 2 of 13
    Page 2 of 13

    NASA astronaut Christina Koch uses a satellite phone after returning to Earth on Feb. 6, 2020. 

    Page 3 of 13
    Page 3 of 13

    NASA astronaut Christina Koch and her two crewmates touched down near the town of Zhezkazgan in Kazakhstan on Feb. 6, 2020. 

    Page 4 of 13
    Page 4 of 13

    NASA astronaut Christina Koch, Russian cosmonaut Alexander Skvortsov and European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano take a few minutes to acclimate to Earth after more than 200 days in microgravity each, 328 for Koch. 

    Page 5 of 13
    Page 5 of 13

    Local residents check out the commotion around the Soyuz capsule landing in Kazakhstan. 

    Page 6 of 13
    Page 6 of 13

    NASA astronaut Christina Koch is helped out of the Soyuz capsule after returning from 328 days in space. 

    Page 7 of 13
    Page 7 of 13

    A view of the Soyuz MS-13 spacecraft as it descends back to Earth under its main parachute over the remote steppes of Kazakhstan on Feb. 6, 2020. NASA photographer Bill Ingalls captured this (and indeed all the other photos in this slideshow) during the Expedition 61 crew landing that returned Christina Koch, Luca Parmitano and Alezander Skvortov back to Earth. Ingalls was on a Roscosmos recovery team helicopter when he took this image. 

    Page 8 of 13
    Page 8 of 13

    The main parachute is spread out on the snow-covered Kazakh steppes after safely delivering its Soyuz capsule to Earth with Christina Koch, Luca Parmitano and Alexander Skvortsov to Earth. A recovery helicopter and team can be seen at the Soyuz capsule in the distance. 

    Page 9 of 13
    Page 9 of 13

    A view of one of the Soyuz capsule's windows after the MS-13 spacecraft returned the Expedition 61 crew to Earth. 

    Page 10 of 13
    Page 10 of 13

    Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Skvortsov is all smiles after returning to Earth with NASA astronaut Christina Koch and European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano. 

    Page 11 of 13
    Page 11 of 13

    ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano is aided out of the Soyuz capsule in this view by NASA photographer Bill Ingalls captured as recovery teams extracted the Expedition 61 crew from their spacecraft after landing. 

    Page 12 of 13
    Page 12 of 13

    The Soyuz MS-13 spacecraft, now empty of crew, is prepared for retrieval by Russian recovery teams after the successful landing of Expedition 61 astronauts Christina Koch of NASA, Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency and Alexander Skvortsov of Roscosmos. The trio landed in the remote steppes of Kazakhstan on Feb. 6, 2020.

    Page 13 of 13
    Page 13 of 13
    Meghan Bartels
    Meghan Bartels
    Social Links Navigation
    Senior Writer

    Meghan is a senior writer at Space.com and has more than five years' experience as a science journalist based in New York City. She joined Space.com in July 2018, with previous writing published in outlets including Newsweek and Audubon. Meghan earned an MA in science journalism from New York University and a BA in classics from Georgetown University, and in her free time she enjoys reading and visiting museums. Follow her on Twitter at @meghanbartels.

    Read more
    A space capsule makes an ocean splashdown under four orange and white parachutes
    SpaceX's Crew-10 astronauts return to Earth after nearly 5 months in space (video)
    a boat on the left and AX 4 Dragon on the right during the recovery operations.
    Private Ax-4 astronauts splash down aboard SpaceX capsule to conclude ISS mission (video)
    seven people in polo shirts and slacks gather around a table to enjoy a meal together aboard a space station
    Rookie crewmates kept things fresh for Ax-4 astronaut Peggy Whitson: 'It's always great to relive a little bit of that first time'
    A white space capsule hangs upright, docked to the port of a space station. A robotic arm hangs to the left in the foreground.
    Private Ax-4 astronauts depart ISS after unexpected extended stay (video)
    The SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule Endurance undocks from the International Space Station on Aug. 8, 2025, initiating the return to Earth of the Crew-10 astronaut mission.
    SpaceX's Crew-10 astronauts undock from ISS, head home to Earth (video)
    A streak of white zooms across the black background
    SpaceX Dragon carrying 4 astronauts zooms back to Earth | Space photo of the day for July 25, 2025
    Latest in International Space Station
    a man in a black short sleeve shirt and a blue headband floats inside a space station module cluttered with science equipment
    Astronaut trades meditation for starry sky views in orbit | On the International Space Station Aug. 11-15, 2025
    A tan background with streaks and dots of black on it.
    Semiconductor wafer on ISS goes under the microscope | Space photo of the day for Aug. 20, 2025
    A space capsule makes an ocean splashdown under four orange and white parachutes
    SpaceX's Crew-10 astronauts return to Earth after nearly 5 months in space (video)
    a view of Earth as seen from orbit with blue waters and white clouds set against the blackness of space
    Astronaut arrives at ISS, longs to be on the moon or Mars | On the International Space Station Aug. 4-8, 2025
    A series of white streaks against a dark background show the star trails in orbit
    ISS astronaut captures breathtaking star trails | Space photo of the day for Aug. 11, 2025
    The SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule Endurance undocks from the International Space Station on Aug. 8, 2025, initiating the return to Earth of the Crew-10 astronaut mission.
    SpaceX's Crew-10 astronauts undock from ISS, head home to Earth (video)
    Latest in News
    A man in a suit sit looks to the right in front of the bottom half of a nasa meatball logo.
    Acting NASA administrator Sean Duffy says the agency will 'move aside' from climate sciences to focus on exploring moon and Mars
    Concept art for the video game "Battlestar Galactica: Scattered Hopes." A man in uniform is standing at the head of a table looking at a map with spaceships on it. The table is surrounded by other people in uniform.
    New tactical roguelite game 'Battlestar Galactica: Scattered Hopes' sees you escape the Cylons with a full fleet of spaceships (video)
    Lead art for sci-fi shooter Pragmata, shown at Gamescom 2025.
    Pragmata rethinks sci-fi shooter combat, and it owes a lot to Snake (preview)
    An image showing the country of Japan as seen from orbit at night, with the Korean peninsula visible to the left. The land masses are silhouetted by city lights.
    Watch a bright fireball explode above Japan, turning night to day (video)
    Screenshots from Warhammer 40K: Dawn of War 4, revealed at Gamescom 2025.
    'Warhammer 40k: Dawn of War 4' revealed, with a new developer promising a return to 'mass-battle, base-building roots' (video)
    Korea's K-RadCube radiation-measuring cubesat will fly on NASA's Artemis 2 moon mission in 2026.
    South Korea's K-RadCube radiation satellite will hitch a ride on NASA's Artemis 2 moon mission
    MORE FROM SPACE...
    1. Battlestar Galactica meets FTL in this just-announced "story-rich tactical roguelite" from the makers of Crying Suns.
      1
      New tactical roguelite game 'Battlestar Galactica: Scattered Hopes' sees you escape the Cylons with a full fleet of spaceships (video)
    2. 2
      Russia launches mice, microbes and more on monthlong mission to Earth orbit
    3. 3
      Watch a bright fireball explode above Japan, turning night to day (video)
    4. 4
      Acting NASA administrator Sean Duffy says the agency will 'move aside' from climate sciences to focus on exploring moon and Mars
    5. 5
      Pragmata rethinks sci-fi shooter combat, and it owes a lot to Snake (preview)

    Space is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

    • About Us
    • Contact Future's experts
    • Terms and conditions
    • Privacy policy
    • Cookies policy
    • Accessibility Statement
    • Advertise with us
    • Web notifications
    • Careers

    © Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

    Please login or signup to comment

    Please wait...