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
      • Like 4K Video from Space
      • Artemis
      • James Webb Space Telescope
      • Entertainment
      • Solar System
      • Forums
      • Technology
      • Search for Life
      • Get Space Magazines
      • About Us
      • Web Notifications
    Trending
    • Fake astronaut fools the world
    • Aurora Forecast
    • Live 4K Sen video from space!
    • Night sky tonight!
    • Next Full Moon
    • Space Calendar
    • Best Binoculars
    • Best Telescopes
    • Lego Star Wars deals
    • Best Drones
    • Solar System Planets
    • Best Star Projectors
    Recommended reading
    NASA astronaut Don Pettit waves after arriving in Houston on April 20, 2025. Pettit returned to Earth on April 19 to wrap up a seven-month mission on the International Space Station.
    International Space Station Don Pettit, NASA's oldest active astronaut at 70, arrives in Houston after 7-month space mission (photo)
    Recovery crews surround the return capsule of China's Shenzhou 19 astronaut mission after it returned to Earth on April 30, 2025.
    Human Spaceflight China's Shenzhou 19 astronauts return to Earth after 6 months aboard Tiangong space station (video, photos)
    A stunning long-duration photograph of the Roscosmos segment of the International Space Station with the Soyuz MS-26 spacecraft docked above Earth’s atmospheric glow as seen 258 miles above the Pacific Ocean.
    International Space Station Watch NASA astronaut Don Pettit and 2 cosmonauts return to Earth today
    SpaceX's Crew Dragon Grace is docked with the International Space Station June 26, 2025.
    Private Spaceflight Axiom-4 astronauts on SpaceX Crew Dragon welcomed aboard International Space Station (video)
    a space capsule descended through the dawn sky under a parachute, approaching a landing in the desert
    International Space Station NASA's oldest active astronaut lands with space station crewmates on his 70th birthday
    two astronauts in white spacesuits work outside a space station
    International Space Station NASA astronauts on spacewalk relocate antenna, prep for new solar arrays at space station
    A stunning long-duration photograph of the Roscosmos segment of the International Space Station with the Soyuz MS-26 spacecraft docked above Earth’s atmospheric glow as seen 258 miles above the Pacific Ocean.
    International Space Station NASA astronaut Don Pettit and 2 cosmonauts will return to Earth on April 19
    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
    Comments (0)

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

    Comments (0)

    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
    Comments (0)
    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
    NASA astronaut Don Pettit waves after arriving in Houston on April 20, 2025. Pettit returned to Earth on April 19 to wrap up a seven-month mission on the International Space Station.
    Don Pettit, NASA's oldest active astronaut at 70, arrives in Houston after 7-month space mission (photo)
    Recovery crews surround the return capsule of China's Shenzhou 19 astronaut mission after it returned to Earth on April 30, 2025.
    China's Shenzhou 19 astronauts return to Earth after 6 months aboard Tiangong space station (video, photos)
    A stunning long-duration photograph of the Roscosmos segment of the International Space Station with the Soyuz MS-26 spacecraft docked above Earth’s atmospheric glow as seen 258 miles above the Pacific Ocean.
    Watch NASA astronaut Don Pettit and 2 cosmonauts return to Earth today
    SpaceX's Crew Dragon Grace is docked with the International Space Station June 26, 2025.
    Axiom-4 astronauts on SpaceX Crew Dragon welcomed aboard International Space Station (video)
    a space capsule descended through the dawn sky under a parachute, approaching a landing in the desert
    NASA's oldest active astronaut lands with space station crewmates on his 70th birthday
    two astronauts in white spacesuits work outside a space station
    NASA astronauts on spacewalk relocate antenna, prep for new solar arrays at space station
    Latest in International Space Station
    seven men and women wearing blue flights stack hands while floating in a half-circle formation around an airlock hatch aboard a space station.
    Seeing 'fireworks' on Earth from space | On the ISS this week June 26 - July 4, 2025
    two women in dark clothing float beside each other inside a windowed module of a space station
    The ups and downs of life in space | On the ISS this week June 23 - 27, 2025
    a bright flash of lighting as seen from orbit illuminates a city at night
    When it comes to auroras, pink is the new white, astronaut says | On the ISS this week June 16 - 20, 2025
    a woman with long brown hair floating freely in microgravity works to install an experiment a science glovebox aboard a space station.
    Space humbles the SEAL-doctor-astronaut | On the ISS this week June 9-13, 2025
    a Japanese man wearing a blue polo and khaki pants and an American woman wearing a black shirt and blue slacks work to draw and collect blood from themselves aboard a space station
    Astronauts track huge dust clouds over Canada and US | On the ISS this week June 2-6, 2025
    a woman and man, both wearing a polo shirt and slacks, speak to a camera aboard a space station
    Behind the camera: Astronauts talk with students from space station | Space photo of the day for May 29, 2025
    Latest in News
    The Paramount Plus logo, in blue, on an orbit circle background with the space.com logo in the top left corner
    Get Paramount Plus for just 99 cents a month and stream season three of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
    A dark lunar plain is seen bordered by a sickle-like mountain range, which is catching the sun's light close to the terminator separating day from night.
    Here’s how to see a 'Golden Handle' shine on the lunar surface tonight
    a bright point of light center left and a small cluster of stars to the right, in a clear sky
    Don't miss the Pleiades shine with Venus in the predawn sky on July 5
    Various cameras on a purple background with a Space.com Prime Day badge.
    The best July 4 camera deals 2025: Top deals we've spotted so far
    Two rockets stand side by side, one smaller, one larger, next to a purple box with their picture on the front, on a blue planet background with the space.com logo in the top left corner.
    Save 20% on this early Amazon Prime Day two-in-one Estes model rocket set
    4 panel image showing some of the locations for the upcoming 2026 total solar eclipse trip with a graphic of an eclipse in the center with the text eclipse 2026 written in the middle.
    10 fun tours and adventures for the ultimate total solar eclipse 2026 experience
    No comments yet Comment from the forums
    MORE FROM SPACE...
    1. Check out the amplified alien action in this alarming new preview for the hit sci-fi series.
      1
      'Humanity’s time is over!’ Apple TV+ drops release date and intense first teaser for 'Invasion' Season 3
    2. 2
      For 100 years, we have marveled at planetariums. Here’s a brief history of how humans brought the stars indoors
    3. 3
      Devour a cosmic-sized chunk of Marvel lore ahead of 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps', with the 'The Coming of Galactus' novel
    4. 4
      Rare snowfall in Atacama Desert forces the world's most powerful radio telescope into 'survival mode'
    5. 5
      Here’s how to see a 'Golden Handle' shine on the lunar surface tonight

    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...