ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot returns after 237 days in space, a European record
14 October 2026
The European Space Agency said its astronaut Sophie Adenot has returned from her first mission to the International Space Station.
Her mission was named epsilon and she flew as part of NASA's Crew-12 rotation, launching on a SpaceX Dragon from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on 13 February 2026.
The capsule splashed down on 8 October 2026 and she reached Cologne, Germany, on 10 October 2026.
She spent 237 days, 5 hours and 18 minutes in space, a new European record for the longest single spaceflight, beating Luca Parmitano's Beyond mission by more than 35 days.
She carried out three spacewalks within 14 days, totalling 19 hours and 42 minutes outside the station.
She is the second European woman after Samantha Cristoforetti, and the first French woman, to perform a spacewalk.
Adenot worked through Expeditions 74 and 75 and spent about 218 hours on 35 European payloads.
In plain words
ESA European Space Agency — An intergovernmental space agency of European states, with its astronaut centre at Cologne in Germany.
ISS International Space Station — A crewed laboratory in low Earth orbit run jointly by several space agencies.