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NASA Astronaut Don Pettit Celebrates 70th Birthday in Space

4/21/2025

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Summary

Story summary

At 70, NASA astronaut Don Pettit celebrated his birthday by returning to Earth after an incredible 220-day journey aboard the International Space Station. Alongside Russian cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner, he completed a staggering 3,520 orbits, bringing his total time in space to an astonishing 590 days across four missions.

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Story summary

At 70, NASA astronaut Don Pettit celebrated his birthday by returning to Earth after an incredible 220-day journey aboard the International Space Station. Alongside Russian cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner, he completed a staggering 3,520 orbits, bringing his total time in space to an astonishing 590 days across four missions.