Tuesday, June 01, 2010

Station crew begins return home

Three International Space Station crew members are on their way home to Earth.

American astronaut T.J. Creamer, Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kotov and Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi undocked from the outpost at 8:04 p.m. EDT as the two spacecraft flew 215 miles above Mongolia.

"Bye, bye, station," said Kotov, commander of the Soyuz TMA-17. "Beautiful view."

Views from the station showed the Soyuz appearing to back away toward the moon, with the Earth's blue atmosphere below.

The Expedition 23 crew members, suited in white Sokol launch-and-entry suits, are scheduled to land in central Kazakhstan at 11:24 p.m. today.

The departure officially ends Expedition 23, leaving three Expedition 24 crew members behind.

The Soyuz crew is scheduled to fire the spacecraft's engine to begin a deorbit burn at 10:34 p.m., starting the plunge through the atmosphere.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

And they are landing in RUSSIA, a country that doesnt mind since we GAVE THE ISS TO THEM.