Back To Earth: Astronauts Arrive Home After 6-Month Space Stint

Two Russians and an American astronaut, who have spent 167 days in space, are backed to Earth.

11:03 13 March 2015

Two Russians and an American are back to Earth after spending 167 days on the International Space Station and travelled 70 million miles around the planet. One of the three astronauts is Yelena Serova - the first female Russian cosmonaut to have spent time on the ISS. The other two who landed in Kazakhstan are Alexander Samokutyaev and Barry Wilmore. 

 

Nasa said that after successful undocking, the communication links between the capsule and Earth were lost for a short time. 

 

"The Soyuz then 'eased' - the reality is a rather bumpy return - its way to the ground under parachute, ahead of a landing southeast of Dzhezkazgan - with touchdown also taking a while to confirm, due to low clouds and heavy fog in the recovery area," Nasa said on its Space Flight website.

 

Meanwhile, Russia's space agency Roscosmos said in statement: "The piloted descent craft completed its landing at 05:14 Moscow Time (02:14 GMT)."

 

After landing, the three immediately begun their readjustment to gravity and undergone medical tests. Another three astronauts remain in the Space Station and will be joined by more crew members on March 27.