Astronaut Jonny Kim is departing NASA after ten years of service to return to his career in the U.S. Navy. Kim, who holds the rank of lieutenant commander, concludes his tenure at the agency this Thursday.
Kim’s most recent assignment involved an eight-month mission to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of Expeditions 72 and 73. Launching in April 2025 aboard the Soyuz MS-27, he spent his time in orbit conducting research across various fields, including biology, Earth science, and technology development. During the mission, he logged nearly 104 million miles and completed 3,920 orbits around the planet. His responsibilities included serving as the U.S. Operating Segment lead and operating the Canadarm2 robotic arm to capture a Cygnus XL cargo spacecraft.
Selected as an astronaut candidate in 2017, Kim’s background as a Navy SEAL, physician, and naval aviator informed his work at the agency. Before his flight, he served in various roles, including as a capsule communicator in Mission Control and as a leader within the astronaut exploration branch. He also contributed to the development of the Artemis program.
NASA leadership praised Kim’s contributions to the agency. Administrator Jared Isaacman noted that Kim “pushed the boundaries of exploration,” while Scott Tingle, chief of the Astronaut Office, highlighted the “medical training, operational experience, and engineering insight” Kim brought to the team.
Reflecting on his time at the agency, Kim stated, “Contributing to space exploration and serving NASA has been the honor of a lifetime.” He plans to spend the remainder of his military career focused on naval aviation training. Kim returned to Earth in December 2025 following the conclusion of his ISS expedition.
Source: NASA
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