{"id":39891,"date":"2013-03-15T19:32:49","date_gmt":"2013-03-15T11:32:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-productionenv-bjg9h2g2bgg5b8aa.southeastasia-01.azurewebsites.net\/news\/soyuz-tma-06m-safely-returns-crew-to-earth\/"},"modified":"2013-03-15T19:32:49","modified_gmt":"2013-03-15T11:32:49","slug":"soyuz-tma-06m-safely-returns-crew-to-earth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/news\/soyuz-tma-06m-safely-returns-crew-to-earth\/","title":{"rendered":"Soyuz TMA-06M safely returns crew to Earth"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Russian Soyuz TMA-06M spacecraft \u2013 carrying two Russian cosmonauts and one American astronaut \u2013 has successfully landed in Kazakhstan early on Saturday, wrapping up a 4.5 month expedition aboard the International Space Station (ISS). <\/p>\n

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\nSoyuz TMA-06M:<\/p>\n

The undocking and landing was originally scheduled to be conducted in the early hours of March 15, but was delayed by 24 hours due to bad weather at the Kazakh landing site, which prevented rescue forces from reaching the landing site via helicopter.<\/p>\n

Soyuz TMA-06M launched to the ISS on October 23 last year, with a docking to the ISS at the Mini Research Module-2 (MRM-2) \u201cPoisk\u201d module occurring two days later on October 25.<\/p>\n

During its 144 days in space \u2013 with an extra day added to that total due to yesterday\u2019s postponed landing opportunity \u2013 Soyuz TMA-06M and its crew witnessed many unique flight events, including a record two visits of a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft.<\/p>\n

\"ExclusiveIn fact, Soyuz TMA-06M docked to the ISS with the CRS-1 (SpX-1) Dragon present at the ISS, and will also be undocking with the CRS-2 (SpX-2) Dragon present at the station.<\/p>\n

The returning crewmembers aboard Soyuz TMA-06M are Russian cosmonauts Oleg Novitsky and Evgeny Tarelkin, who will both be making their first ever return to Earth on their \u201crookie\u201d flights.<\/p>\n

Space Shuttle<\/path>Aerospace & Defense<\/path>SpaceX<\/path>\n

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NASA astronaut and outgoing Expedition 34 Commander Kevin Ford will round out the returning crewmembers, with Ford making his first ever re-entry aboard a Soyuz, but his second ever re-entry in total, as he previously conducted a re-entry aboard Space Shuttle Discovery on the STS-128 mission in September 2009.<\/p>\n

To begin the long road to home, the Soyuz TMA-06M crew first entered their spacecraft and closed the hatches between the Soyuz Orbital Module (BO) and the ISS, which occurred at around 8:25 PM GMT on Friday 15 March. The crew then donned their Sokol launch and entry suits, closed the hatches between the BO and the Descent Module (SA), and strapped themselves into their Kazbek couches.<\/p>\n

\"SoyuzUndocking from the MRM-2 port was on time at 11:43 PM GMT March 15, following which Soyuz TMA-06M will back away from the ISS and perform a separation burn.<\/p>\n

After approximately three hours of orbital free flight \u2013 often a time of reflection upon a successful mission and appreciation of their \u201clast laps around Earth\u201d for the returning crewmembers \u2013 Soyuz TMA-06M then conducted its 4 minute 44 second de-orbit burn at 2:13 AM GMT Saturday March 16.<\/p>\n

Tri-module separation was completed shortly thereafter at 2:40 AM GMT, with the Descent Module then beginning its atmospheric Entry Interface (EI) at 2:42 AM GMT.<\/p>\n

Following the conclusion of the re-entry phase, the Descent Module deployed its parachute at 2:51 AM GMT and drift safely down for a landing North of the town of Arkalyk in wintry Kazakhstan, targeted for 3:06 AM GMT.<\/p>\n

\"RussianRussian recovery forces were soon be on the scene \u2013 despite fog and low cloud hindering helicopter support \u2013 who will promptly extract the three crewmembers from their capsule and transport them to a medical tent for a brief check-up.<\/p>\n

All three crewmembers then boarded Russian MI-8 helicopters for the roughly 2 hour flight to Kostanay Airport, where, following a brief welcome ceremony, the three crewmembers parted ways for the first time after 4.5 months of living together in space.<\/p>\n

The Russian crewmembers \u0096 Oleg Novitsky and Evgeny Tarelkin \u0096 then boarded a waiting Roscosmos Tu-134 aircraft and were flown from Kostanay to Chkalovsky airfield at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center (GCTC) in Star City, just outside Moscow. From there they were re-united with family and friends and began their post-flight rehabilitation process.<\/p>\n

See Also<\/h4>\n