spacetoday.net: Soyuz returns three ISS crewmembers to Earth

Posted: Sat, Dec 12, 2015, 10:43 AM ET (1543 GMT)
Soyuz TMA-17M undocking (NASA)

A Soyuz spacecraft carrying three members of the International Space Station's crew landed in Kazakhstan Friday. The Soyuz TMA-17M spacecraft undocked from the ISS at 4:49 am EST (0949 GMT) and landed in wintry weather conditions in Kazakhstan at approximately 8:12 am EST (1312 GMT). Confirmation of the landing was delayed by several minutes because of the poor weather, but the spacecraft did land safely and all three people inside were in good health. The Soyuz returned to Earth American astronaut Kjell Lindgren, Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko, and Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui after 141 days in space. Another Soyuz carrying three new ISS crewmembers is scheduled for launch December 15.