Astronaut Jonny Kim to Reflect on Eight Months in Orbit Following Space Station Return

Washington, D.C.; December 12th, 2025.

NASA astronaut Jonny Kim will discuss the highlights and scientific accomplishments of his eight-month mission aboard the International Space Station during a news conference scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on Friday, December 19th at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, officials with NASA announced in a media advisory. NASA Astronaut Jonny Kim to Discuss Eight-Month Space Station Mission states that Kim’s recap will include insights into the extensive research conducted during his lengthy stay in space, including investigations related to biology, human research, technology demonstrations, Earth science, and other experiments that contributed to the mission’s objectives.

Kim returned to Earth on December 9th, 2025, concluding a mission that lasted approximately 245 days as part of Expedition 72/73, during which he and his crewmates completed about 3,920 orbits of Earth and traveled nearly 104 million miles while conducting scientific work aimed at benefiting life on Earth and supporting future exploration. NASA Astronaut Jonny Kim to Discuss Eight-Month Space Station Mission underscores that the mission included advanced scientific investigations such as studies on bioprinted tissues containing blood vessels in microgravity, remote robotic command experiments, and in-space manufacturing techniques for DNA-mimicking nanomaterials, all designed to expand knowledge for future space operations.

The mission also took place against a backdrop of extensive international cooperation aboard the International Space Station, where Kim and his crewmates — including Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky — worked closely to carry out experiments across disciplines and maintain critical station operations. This mission marked Kim’s first spaceflight, and his return followed safe return procedures that involved a parachute-assisted landing in a remote area near Dzhezkazgan, Kazakhstan, where recovery teams assisted the crew before their subsequent return to their respective home bases.

In addition to preparing for the December 19th news conference, NASA’s advisory details logistical information for media wishing to participate, including deadlines for in-person and phone access, reinforcing the agency’s commitment to transparent engagement with press covering human spaceflight and science missions. NASA Astronaut Jonny Kim to Discuss Eight-Month Space Station Mission also points to opportunities for the public to watch the news conference live through NASA’s official streaming outlets, allowing broader access to insights from the astronaut’s mission experience.

Kim’s extended stay aboard the station contributed not only to scientific research but also to the sustained presence of humans in low Earth orbit; this context reflects NASA’s broader mission objectives tied to the International Space Station, which recycles knowledge and technology from orbit to support both terrestrial and deep space goals. The upcoming discussion is expected to illuminate the daily realities and long-term accomplishments associated with extended spaceflight, and to showcase how sustained research in microgravity continues to propel scientific understanding forward.

---

Sources

• NASA Astronaut Jonny Kim to Discuss Eight-Month Space Station Mission (official NASA media advisory).
• NASA Astronaut Jonny Kim, Crewmates Return from Space Station (official NASA return press release).
• Station Trio Back on Earth; Expedition 74 Keeps Up Science, Maintains Systems (NASA blog on crew return and mission context).
• Expedition 73 (mission summary including crew rotation and mission duration).
• NASA Sets Coverage for Astronaut Jonny Kim, Crewmates Return (official NASA press guidance on undocking and return timeline).