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US and Russian astronauts land safely in Kazakhstan
The Hindu··27 Jul
A US-Russian space crew landed safely in the Kazakh steppe on July 26 after an eight month stint on the International Space Station. NASA astronaut Chris Williams and cosmonauts Sergei Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev touched down by parachute in their Soyuz MS-28 capsule southeast of Dzhezkazgan. The 241 day mission was the first spaceflight for both Williams and Mikaev.
Prism
What It Means For You
- The landing shows US-Russia space cooperation continuing on the ISS even amid broader geopolitical tensions elsewhere.
- Long duration missions like this one help scientists study effects of extended spaceflight on the human body.
- The Soyuz remains a key vehicle for crew rotation, relevant to future international station planning.
What's Happening
- Chris Williams, Sergei Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev landed near Dzhezkazgan, Kazakhstan on July 26.
- Their Soyuz MS-28 capsule descended safely by parachute after a 241 day ISS mission.
- The mission was the first spaceflight for both Williams and Mikaev, and the second for Kud-Sverchkov.
A Steppe Landing Zone Used for Decades
- Soyuz capsules have landed in the Kazakh steppe since the Soviet era due to its flat, open terrain.
- The ISS partnership between NASA and Roscosmos has continued through crew swaps despite strained diplomatic ties.
- Recovery teams typically reach landing capsules within minutes using helicopters tracking the parachute descent.
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