Welcome Back to Earth

TL;DR

The Soyuz TMA-17M spacecraft successfully lands carrying crew members Yui Kononenko, Scott Kelly, and Sergey Volkov.

Transcript

now seeing the crew uh saying uh farewell to one another obviously uh wishing uh the departing crew soft landings as uh yui kononenko and lindgren prepare to make their way through the hatchway leaving kelly kornyenko and sergey volkov behind as a three-man crew on board the international space station but for a very brief period of time just four ... Read More

Key Insights

• 🪛 Crew members Yui Kononenko, Scott Kelly, and Sergey Volkov successfully departed from the International Space Station after a brief period of overlapping crews.
• 👾 The Soyuz TMA-17M spacecraft completed an eight-second separation burn before rapidly departing from the space station.
• ⚓ The spacecraft contained two circular ultraflex solar arrays from the Orbital ATK Cygnus resupply ship.
• 🚁 The crew members were extracted from the Soyuz capsule and transported to helicopters for their return to Earth.
• 💋 This landing marks a significant milestone in International Space Station history as the first post-sunset landing for a Soyuz vehicle.
• 🏝️ The landing occurred under harsh conditions with a thick overcast, but the crew members landed safely.
• 👪 The three crew members will be reunited with their families after their respective flights back to Houston and Star City.

Questions & Answers

Q: How long were the crew members on board the International Space Station?

The crew members spent 141 days in space, completing 2200 orbits spanning 59.6 million miles.

Q: How was the Soyuz TMA-17M spacecraft found after landing?

The spacecraft was found on its side, which is not unusual in windy landing conditions.

Q: How will the crew members be transported after landing?

They will be hoisted in reclining chairs and placed in all-terrain vehicles, which will take them to helicopters for further transportation.

Q: What is the significance of the first post-sunset landing for a Soyuz vehicle?

This landing marks the sixth night landing overall and the first post-sunset landing in International Space Station history.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The crew members say farewell and prepare to leave the International Space Station, leaving behind a three-man crew.

• The hatchway between the Ross Viet and the Soyuz vehicle closes, and undocking is confirmed, marking the start of the journey back to Earth.

• The Soyuz TMA-17M spacecraft lands safely in Kazakhstan, and the crew members are extracted from the capsule.