NASA will host a public welcome-home event for the Expedition 74 crew at Space Center Houston on Tuesday, Nov. 17. The gathering follows the return of six astronauts who spent months conducting research and maintenance aboard the International Space Station.
The event begins at 6 p.m. CST at the visitor center of NASA Johnson Space Center. The crew will share highlights from their mission before an awards ceremony recognizes key contributors to the operation.
Expedition 74 crew members and return details
The group returning to Earth includes NASA astronauts Jessica Meir, Jack Hathaway, and Chris Williams. They are joined by European Space Agency astronaut Sophie Adenot and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev.
Williams, Kud-Sverchkov, and Mikaev launched on Nov. 27, 2025, aboard the Soyuz MS-28 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. They returned on July 26 after a 241-day mission. Their spacecraft made a parachute-assisted landing southeast of Dzhezkazgan, Kazakhstan. During their time in orbit, the trio traveled more than 102 million miles and completed 3,856 orbits around Earth.
Meir, Hathaway, and Adenot launched on Feb. 13 as part of the SpaceX Crew-12 mission. They departed from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. After spending more than seven months on the station, the crew splashed down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Los Angeles on Oct. 8. Their mission lasted 237 days, covering over 100 million miles and completing 3,792 orbits.
Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev also flew as part of Crew-12 but will not attend the Houston event.
Scientific research and station operations
The Expedition 74 crew dedicated more than 1,400 hours to scientific research and technology demonstrations. Their work advanced in-space manufacturing by testing metal and tissue 3D-printing technologies. The team also supported human health studies examining the effects of long-duration spaceflight.
Research projects included blood flow studies and assessments of piloting capabilities under changing gravitational conditions. The crew activated a new compact exercise system to help maintain physical health in microgravity. They also evaluated life-support and environmental systems critical to future exploration missions under NASA’s Artemis program.
Pharmaceutical research focused on crystallizing proteins for cancer medications and advancing tumor targeting treatments. The team grew stem cells for therapeutic applications. They also cared for the first set of plants studied outside of curated systems.
Operational duties included upgrading an instrument used to advance understanding of matter and develop new quantum technologies. The crew managed visiting spacecraft and performed essential maintenance to support the continued operation of the orbiting laboratory.
Media may request in-person interviews before the event. Requests must be sent to the JSC Newsroom at jsc-newsroom@mail.nasa.gov no later than 5 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 16.
For more than 26 years, people have lived and worked continuously aboard the International Space Station. The station helps NASA understand the challenges of human spaceflight and builds the foundation for long-duration missions to the Moon and Mars.
Source: NASA
