Nasa’s oldest astronaut celebrates 70th birthday with return to Earth

Don Pettit became septuagenarian hurtling towards Earth after seven-month mission at International Space Station

Cake, gifts and a low-key family celebration may be how many senior citizens celebrate their 70th birthday.

But Nasa's oldest serving astronaut, Don Pettit, became a septuagenarian while hurtling towards Earth in a spacecraft to wrap up a seven-month mission onboard the International Space Station (ISS).