Zero-G Cup Innovator and Oldest US-Serving Astronaut Don Pettit has Returned to Earth

Oldest U.S. astronaut Don Pettit in a space suit, smiling, with Earth and stars in the background. — NASA astronaut Don Pettit, the oldest active American astronaut, returns to Earth on his 70th birthday after a 220-day mission aboard the ISS.

The oldest serving astronaut from America, Don Pettit, is back on Earth after completing his fourth mission. The celebrated astrophotographer, renowned for capturing unique views of the cosmos, has returned to Earth on his 70th birthday. The Soyuz MS-26 space capsule brought back the American astronaut and his Russian crewmates Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner. The crew landed in a remote area of Zhezkazgan in Kazakhstan at 6.20 am (0120 GMT) after spending 220 days in the International Space Station (ISS), orbiting the Earth 3,520 times. The command of ISS has been given to Japanese astronaut Takuya Onishi.

Upon his arrival in Kazakhstan on Saturday, Pettit stated

“Earth is amazingly beautiful when your feet are firmly planted on the ground, and it’s beautiful from space. And it’s hard to say what is more beautiful. I think it’s because space is a unique opportunity we seek to focus on the beauty of being in orbit. If we had people living their whole life in orbit, when they come down to Earth, they would probably think that was the most beautiful perspective they’d ever seen.”

Pettit’s Invention

Don Pettit is a NASA astronaut who has spent 590 days of his life in space. His biggest contribution to space technology is the invention of Capillary Beverage, a Zero-G cup, which makes it easier for astronauts to drink beverages in the absence of gravity.

In space, microgravity affects the way fluids behave, making drinking a challenging task for astronauts. For that, special sealed bags are used instead of normal cups and straws. Pettit studied the capillary effects of drinking in the microgravity environment to design Space Cups. These Space Cups or Capillary Beverages are designed considering the fluid dynamics to mimic the effect of gravity.

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Naba Fatima

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Naba Fatima is a Corporate Strategy Analyst and business rep… Naba Fatima is a Corporate Strategy Analyst and business reporter at TECHi.com, focusing on startups, layoffs, and evolving workplace trends. She writes about AI-driven workforce shifts and organizational change. Her insights help decode the future of work and business strategy.