(C) Best of Korea

SEOUL — After spending 245 days serving aboard the International Space Station (ISS), U.S. Navy Lieutenant Commander Johnny Kim, 41, the first Korean American astronaut to reach orbit, is preparing for his highly anticipated return to Earth. NASA confirmed on December 4 (local time) that Kim and his crewmates will conclude their extended mission early next week, bringing to an end a journey that has captivated the global Korean diaspora and space enthusiasts alike.

Kim's return spacecraft is slated to undock from the ISS on the afternoon of December 8th (U.S. Eastern Time), with a planned landing in the vast, remote steppes of Kazakhstan on December 9th. The successful conclusion of this mission will mark a significant milestone in Kim’s already storied career, coming eight years after his selection as a NASA astronaut in 2017.

A Life of Distinguished Service

Born in 1984 in Los Angeles, California, to Korean immigrant parents, Johnny Kim has had a career path as extraordinary as his impending space mission. Before becoming an astronaut, Kim served with distinction as a U.S. Navy SEAL, followed by a transition to medicine where he earned his M.D. and served as a physician. This rare combination of military heroics, intellectual prowess, and now space exploration has made him a figure of intense interest across the United States.

For this mission, Kim served alongside Russian cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky. During their approximately eight months in orbit, the crew has been circling the globe, a journey that has seen them complete over 3,900 orbits of Earth and log an astronomical distance estimated at about 167.37 million kilometers. Their work aboard the ISS involved conducting critical scientific research, maintaining the station, and furthering human presence in low-Earth orbit.

The Final Leg Home

The procedures surrounding the crew's return are meticulously planned. Both the ceremony for the transfer of command of the space station and the astronauts’ return process will be live-streamed on NASA’s official YouTube channel, allowing the public to witness the final moments of their mission.

Upon a successful parachute landing in the Kazakh plains, the three crew members will be immediately evacuated by helicopter to the city of Karaganda. From there, the trio will diverge: Kim will board a dedicated NASA aircraft to return to the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, while Ryzhikov and Zubritsky will proceed to their training base near Moscow, Russia.

Kim’s first space mission is not only a personal triumph but also an inspiring symbol of the contributions of the Korean American community to the field of space exploration and public service. His safe return marks the successful completion of an ambitious, months-long endeavor that tested the limits of human endurance and cooperation in the unique environment of the International Space Station.