NASA’s Crew-11 mission met with selected guests and the media Wednesday, marking the end of another successful long-duration stay aboard the International Space Station and bringing astronauts to Huntsville for a public appearance celebrating the mission.

The crew splashed down earlier this year following months in orbit, where they conducted scientific research, technology demonstrations and maintenance work aboard the station.

The return continues NASA’s steady cadence of human spaceflight missions, including preparations for future missions to the Moon and Mars.

The three of the four astronaut team, Zena Cardman, Mike Fincke, and Kimiya Yui reflected on life aboard the space station, describing both the challenges and rewards of living and working in microgravity. Team Chief Zena Cardman said “I was away from home, but I could see home, it was a very different feeling.”

The mission comes at a transitional time in NASA’s history, as the International Space Station is expected to be decommissioned in the coming decade and replaced by private or public-private space stations. Team pilot Mike Fincke expressed optimism about the future.

“We are taking all those ideas for commercial lunar orbit and trying to make sure we have an industry,” Fincke said. He elaborated on the collaboration already happening between private companies and government agencies, citing programs such as SpaceX Starship and SpaceX Dragon.

“Working together, we could make things a lot better, so it’s very exciting for the future,” he added.

The astronauts also emphasized the importance of teamwork and preparation, noting that missions like Crew-11 rely on close coordination between flight crews, engineers and support teams, particularly those in Huntsville at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, which has long played a central role in human spaceflight.

Reflecting on the city’s continued importance, astronaut Mike Fincke said, “What did Wernher von Braun say? The path to the moon leads through Huntsville, Alabama, so it’s still gonna be the same.”

NASA recently announced plans to develop a new lunar base in the coming decade, the first of its kind, an effort astronauts say holds significant promise but still comes with many unknowns.

“How do you live off the land on the Moon? How do we use the lunar resources?” said Mike Fincke, referencing the work being done at Marshall Space Flight Center. “They’re going to help us figure out how to live on the Moon.”

Whatever the future holds, he said Alabama will play a key role.

“We’re going to need the help of our friends from Alabama,” Fincke said. “We went to the Moon the first time with Alabama, we’re going to need them again.”