French astronaut Sophie Adenot returns to Earth after record space stay

French astronaut Sophie Adenot returned to Earth on Thursday, 8 October, landing in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego, California, at around 5:35 p.m. French time. Euronews reported that she returned alongside three SpaceX Crew-12 crew members: Russian cosmonaut Andrei Fediaiev and American astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway. Euronews and France 24 both confirm that the crew spent eight months in orbit, making it the longest continuous stay in space by a European astronaut. [1][2]

The return journey began on Wednesday when the capsule detached from the space station. Euronews reported that Adenot spent 235 days in orbit at an altitude of 400 kilometres above the Earth. France 24 noted that the seasoned helicopter pilot is only the second French woman to travel into space. [1][2]

Adenot holds the rank of colonel in the French Air and Space Force and became the first female helicopter test pilot in France in 2018. She joined the European Astronaut Corps in 2022 and launched on SpaceX Crew-12 in February 2026 as part of Expedition 74 and 75. As FTMQ News reported earlier, Adenot became the first French woman to perform a spacewalk, completing three spacewalks that totalled nearly 20 hours in under 15 days. [4][7]

The mission was part of regular long-duration expeditions to the International Space Station, which are used for ongoing research and testing. Following her successful splashdown, Adenot will undergo routine medical evaluations before returning to Europe. [1][5]