spacetoday.net: Soyuz returns to Earth

Soyuz returns to Earth

Posted: Sat, Apr 8, 2006, 10:36 PM ET (0236 GMT)
Soyuz TMA-2 landing

A Soyuz spacecraft carrying three astronauts from the International Space Station safely landed in Kazakhstan early Sunday. The Soyuz TMA-7 spacecraft undocked from the ISS at 4:28 pm EDT (2028 GMT) Saturday and reentered the Earth's atmosphere, landing in Kazakhstan at 7:48 pm EDT Saturday (2348 GMT, 5:48 am Sunday local time) On board the Soyuz spacecraft were the ISS Expedition 12 crew of Bill McArthur and Valery Tokarev, who spent six months on the space station. The third seat on the Soyuz was occupied by Marcos Pontes, the first Brazilian in space, who flew to the space station a week and a half earlier on the Soyuz carrying the Expedition 13 crew. All three men appeared to be in good condition and good spirits after landing.