Korean-American astronaut Jonny Kim of NASA. UPI Yonhap News

Jonny Kim, a Korean-American astronaut with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), is returning to Earth after completing an eight-month mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

According to footage broadcast by NASA, Kim boarded the Russian Soyuz MS-27 spacecraft, docked with the ISS, at approximately 5:10 PM Eastern Time on the 8th, along with two cosmonauts from the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos).

Following this, the astronauts remaining on the ISS closed the spacecraft's hatch and prepared for undocking from the station.

The Soyuz spacecraft is scheduled to undock from the ISS approximately three hours and 30 minutes later, at around 8:15 PM, and depart for Earth. It is expected to land via parachute in the steppe southeast of Jezkazgan, Kazakhstan, at approximately 0:04 AM on the 9th.

NASA and Roscosmos entered into a spacecraft seat exchange agreement in July 2022 to secure alternative transportation methods, allowing astronauts from each country to travel on the other's spacecraft to and from the ISS.

Jonny Kim (bottom right) attending his final farewell ceremony on the ISS on the 8th (Eastern Time). Captured from a NASA YouTube video.

Jonny Kim arrived at the ISS on April 8th aboard a Soyuz spacecraft and carried out NASA's scientific research and experiments for 245 days.

This mission marked Kim's first space assignment since being selected as a NASA astronaut in 2017 and was the first instance of a Korean-American astronaut carrying out a mission in space.

In the early stages of his ISS stay, he proudly showcased his "Korean palate" by posting photos of hamburgers with gochujang sprinkled on them and holding a bottle of "Taeyangcho Gochujang" made by a Korean company on platforms like Facebook and Instagram.

During his time on the ISS, Kim orbited the Earth 3,920 times, covering a distance of approximately 104 million miles (about 167.37 million kilometers).

In a brief farewell ceremony before his departure from the ISS on this day, he stated, "The time I've spent with these astronauts has been one of the greatest honors of my life. They have become a new family to me, far from my own."

He then expressed his gratitude to the mission controllers who supported his ISS mission in places like Houston, Texas, and pledged, "Let's keep doing the work we do."

At the ISS commander change ceremony the previous day, he emphasized, "We have achieved incredible scientific accomplishments. We have undertaken many memorable missions, but what I will remember most is the bond we shared. I firmly believe that the greatest thing astronauts can have for each other, and for our beautiful planet, is love."

Jonny Kim (second from right) at the ISS commander change ceremony on the 7th (Eastern Time). Captured from a NASA YouTube video.

Jonny Kim garnered global attention not only for being a NASA astronaut but also for his distinguished background, which includes service in the U.S. Navy SEALs and his work as a medical doctor.

Born to Korean immigrant parents in Los Angeles, California, he enlisted in the Navy immediately after graduating high school. He was deployed to the Iraq War as a Navy SEAL, where he participated in over 100 special operations missions and received numerous military decorations and commendations.

He later began his studies in his late twenties to become a military physician, graduating from Harvard Medical School and becoming a specialist. He also completed pilot training in the Navy and currently holds the ranks of Lieutenant Commander, naval pilot, and flight surgeon.

The ISS, constructed through the joint efforts of the United States and Russia, is a soccer field-sized multinational research and experimental structure orbiting Earth at an altitude of 400 kilometers, completing 15.54 orbits per day. Currently, in addition to the two countries, 13 other nations, including 11 European countries, Japan, and Canada, participate in its joint operation.