ESA · Space

Sophie Adenot's Return to Earth and Record-Breaking Mission

ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot is scheduled to return to Earth on October 7, 2026, after completing a mission aboard the International Space Station. Her return will be streamed live by ESA.

Adenot and her Crew-12 crewmates will undock from the ISS on October 7, beginning their journey back. The Dragon spacecraft will undergo a fiery re-entry, with its heat shield protecting against temperatures up to 1600°C. Splashdown is planned for October 8 off the coast of California, followed by Adenot's return to ESA's European Astronaut Centre in Cologne, Germany.

Adenot's mission, named εpsilon, marks her first spaceflight. She is the second French woman in history to go to space and the first French woman to conduct a spacewalk, completing three spacewalks totaling 19 hours and 42 minutes.

The εpsilon mission has set a new European record for the longest single spaceflight, with Adenot reaching 200 consecutive days aboard the ISS on September 3, 2026. This surpasses previous records held by ESA astronauts Luca Parmitano and Thomas Pesquet.

During her time in orbit, Adenot conducted a variety of European experiments in fields such as health research, materials science, biology, and physics. She also assisted in testing technologies for future exploration missions, including an exercise device and in-orbit metal 3D printing.

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