Soon after Sunita Williams' return, NASA to send another astronaut for first mission to ISS in 2025

NASA astronaut Jonny Kim is set to embark on his first mission to the International Space Station (ISS) as a flight engineer and member of the upcoming Expedition 72/73 crew, soon after Sunita Williams returns to earth.

The mission, scheduled for March 2025, will see Kim launching aboard the Roscosmos Soyuz MS-27 spacecraft, accompanied by Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky.

The crew is expected to spend approximately eight months on the ISS, contributing to vital scientific research and technological advancements.


Also Read: Amid extended space mission, Sunita Williams asks her 'astronaut mom' not to worry about her

Mission Details: Launch and Objectives
The launch is planned for March 2025, with Kim and his fellow crewmembers Ryzhikov and Zubritsky journeying to the ISS aboard the Soyuz MS-27 spacecraft.

During their eight-month stay on the orbiting laboratory, Kim will be involved in a range of scientific investigations and technology demonstrations. These efforts aim to enhance preparations for future space missions while also delivering tangible benefits to life on Earth.

Who is Jonny Kim?
Jonny Kim was selected as a NASA astronaut in 2017, following a distinguished career as a United States Navy lieutenant commander, naval aviator, and flight surgeon.

Prior to his astronaut training, Kim served as an enlisted Navy SEAL. He holds a bachelor's degree in Mathematics from the University of San Diego and a medical degree from Harvard Medical School.

His medical training was completed through an internship with the Harvard Affiliated Emergency Medicine Residency at Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

Since joining NASA, Kim has supported mission and crew operations in various roles, including as the lead operations officer for Expedition 65, T-38 operations liaison, and space station capcom chief engineer.

Sunita Williams' return
NASA has said it's "too risky" to bring Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams, back to earth currently, because of which Boeing's Starliner capsule will return without the two astronauts, extending a week-long test flight to around 8 months.

The two astronauts will return only in February 25 and they will continue their work formally as part of the expedition.

"Wilmore and Williams will continue their work formally as part of the Expedition 71/72 crew through February 2025. They will fly home aboard a Dragon spacecraft with two other crew members assigned to the agency's SpaceX Crew-9 mission. Starliner is expected to depart from the space station and make a safe, controlled autonomous re-entry and landing in early September," NASA said in a statement.