First Space Force Guardian Launched into Space Returns with Stranded Astronauts

The first Space Force officer to be launched into space came back to Earth on Tuesday evening after six months aboard the International Space Station, returning alongside two astronauts who had stayed aboard the laboratory significantly longer than anticipated.
Col. Nick Hague, an active-duty Space Force Guardian and astronaut, launched in late September from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. As the commander of NASA's SpaceX Crew-9 mission, he traveled 72,553,920 miles, spent 171 days in space, and completed 2,736 orbits, according to information from his service branch.