A record-breaking NASA astronaut's back on Earth, after nearly a year in space.

The Soyuz capsule carrying Peggy Whitson has touched down in Kazakhstan.

The world's oldest spacewoman, at the age of 57, has been in space for 288 days.

 

It was Whitson's third long-duration stay aboard the orbiting spacecraft and in total she will have spent 665 days in space.

While she holds the record as the American with most days off the planet, she's eighth on the worldwide list which is dominated by Russians.

Fellow expedition crew member cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin has clocked up 673 days in space after five flights.

Whitson and crew member Jack Fischer are based in Houston, which is dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey and the widespread flooding left in its wake.

NASA said it would review its schedule for Whitson and Fischer to return to the city.