Space Force Guardian Col. Nick Hague Returns to Earth After Months on ISS, Contributing to Vital Research

U.S. Space Force Col. Nick Hague has returned to Earth following a five-month stay on the International Space Station (ISS). He splashed down in the SpaceX Crew-9 Dragon capsule "Freedom" alongside NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov on March 18. Hague holds the distinction of being the first Space Force Guardian to launch into orbit, having departed on September 28, 2024, aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. During his ISS mission, Hague contributed to over 150 scientific experiments, including studies on blood clotting, vision changes in astronauts, and plant growth in microgravity. These studies are crucial for future long-duration missions, such as those planned for Mars. Hague also performed essential maintenance on the ISS, including a six-hour spacewalk to replace a station component and service a research instrument. He carried symbolic items to space, including sheet music for the Space Force song "Semper Supra," signifying the Space Force's expanding role in space. Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman welcomed Hague back, noting the Space Force's readiness to utilize his experiences and expertise.