NASA astronaut Jonny Kim (right) with two Russian crewmates Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky during a send-off ceremony prior to the launch of the Soyuz MS-27 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on April 8. (TASS-Yonhap)
NASA astronaut Jonny Kim (right) with two Russian crewmates Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky during a send-off ceremony prior to the launch of the Soyuz MS-27 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on April 8. (TASS-Yonhap)

Korean American NASA astronaut Jonny Kim embarked on his first-ever space journey to the International Space Station on Tuesday, along with two cosmonaut crewmates aboard a Russian Soyuz rocket.

The Russian Soyuz MS-27 spacecraft blasted off from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 1:47 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time, or around 2:47 p.m. Korea Standard Time, according to NASA's live broadcast.

A Russian Soyuz rocket carrying a Soyuz MS-27 spacecraft with NASA astronaut Jonny Kim and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky, lifts off for the International Space Station from the Russian leased Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Tuesday. (NASA/JOEL KOWSKY via AP-Yonhap)
A Russian Soyuz rocket carrying a Soyuz MS-27 spacecraft with NASA astronaut Jonny Kim and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky, lifts off for the International Space Station from the Russian leased Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Tuesday. (NASA/JOEL KOWSKY via AP-Yonhap)

This marks Kim's first mission to the ISS since he was selected as a NASA astronaut in 2017.

Kim is expected to return to Earth in December after staying abroad on the ISS for about eight months, during which they will carry out scientific research and technology demonstrations.

Korean American astronaut Jonny Kim (NASA)
Korean American astronaut Jonny Kim (NASA)

Born in 1984 in Los Angeles to Korean immigrant parents, the 41-year-old is a decorated naval officer and medical doctor. He completed two years of training as an astronaut candidate, which included training for technical and operational instruction in ISS systems, extravehicular activities operations and T-38 flight training, to name a few.

In 2020, Kim began his support of ISS operations as a Capsule Communicator at Mission Control Center Houston and the Artemis program under the astronaut Exploration branch, according to NASA.


junheee@heraldcorp.com