NASA Astronaut Jonny Kim to Reflect Today on First Spaceflight After Recent Return to Earth
By Space Coast Daily // December 19, 2025
Kim worked on a diverse range of scientific experiments
NASA astronaut Jonny Kim will recount the highlights of his first spaceflight on Friday, December 19, at 3:30 p.m. from NASA’s Johnson Space Center.
Related Story:NASA Astronaut Jonny Kim, Roscosmos Cosmonauts Return from International Space Station
The event will be streamed live on NASA’s YouTube channel, giving the public an opportunity to hear directly from Kim about his 245-day mission aboard the International Space Station.
Kim returned to Earth on December 9 with Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky. Together, they completed 3,920 orbits of the planet and traveled nearly 104 million miles during their time as members of Expeditions 72 and 73. Throughout their stay, the crew oversaw the arrival of nine visiting spacecraft and the departure of six.
During the mission, Kim worked on a diverse range of scientific experiments and technology demonstrations. His research included studying the behavior of bioprinted tissues containing blood vessels in microgravity to advance tissue manufacturing techniques that could one day help patients on Earth.
He also evaluated remote robotic operations for the Surface Avatar investigation, a study that may guide the development of robotic helpers for future exploration missions.
Additionally, Kim contributed to experiments aimed at producing DNA-mimicking nanomaterials in space, work that could enhance drug delivery systems and support new therapeutic and regenerative medicine approaches.
More information about research and operations aboard the International Space Station can be found at NASA’s official website.
