-
The Russian Soyuz space capsule carrying returning ISS astronauts lands in the in Kazakhstan - Source: Reuters -
Related
Three astronauts landed safely in the frozen steppe of northern
Kazakhstan after six months orbiting the world on the International
Space Station.
The Russian Soyuz space capsule, carrying Belgian Frank de Winne,
Canadian Robert Thirsk and Russian Roman Romanenko, landed as
planned at 10:17 am Moscow time about 85 km north of the town of
Arkalyk in Kazakhstan.
De Winne waved as he was helped from the scorched TMA-15 capsule
which took more than three hours to descend from the space station
orbiting about 400 km above earth.
"The Soyuz commander has just reported that the crew is in good
shape," said an official at Mission Control in Korolyov, outside
Moscow.
Icy weather meant that support teams travelled over land rather
than in helicopters to the desolate landing site where medics gave
the crew check ups.
The crew will fly back to Russia's space training centre in Star
City, outside Moscow, for a reunion with their families and for
training on how to deal with gravity after six months on the space
station, NASA said.
American Jeff Williams and Russian Maxim Suraev will remain on the
space station until the arrival of a three man crew - including
Russian Oleg Kotov, NASA's Timothy Creamer and Japan's Soichi
Noguchi - who are expected to leave earth aboard a Soyuz TMA-17
spacecraft on December 21.
