Soyuz spacecraft returns to Earth
The Soyuz MS-04 spacecraft, carrying three Expedition 52 crew members, has successfully returned to Earth after 135 days in orbit.
The spacecraft, returning from the International Space Station (ISS), landed in Kazakhstan on Sunday.
After landing, the three-member crew, namely Russian space agency Roscosmos Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin, NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson and NASA Flight Engineer Jack Fischer, underwent post-flight medical tests.
NASA hero
Whitson’s return to Earth wrapped up a record-breaking flight that placed her in first place for US space endurance.
Whitson’s 665 days off the planet — 288 days on this mission alone — exceeded the duration time of any other American astronaut, and any other woman astronaut worldwide.
Russia’s Yurchikhin holds the record for spending the longest duration of time in space. He logged 673 days over five missions.
Whitson, however, set multiple other records while in orbit. She is the world’s oldest spacewoman, at age 57, and most experienced female spacewalker, with 10 counts. She also became the first woman to command the space station twice following her launch last November.
Fischer returned after 136 days away.
Whitson, a biochemist, set a breakneck pace on all three of her space station expeditions. During her expeditions, she continually asked for more scientific research to do.
Scientists on the ground said it was often hard to keep up with her research.
Whitson was supposed to fly back in June after a half-year in space, but when an extra seat opened up on Soyuz, she jumped at the chance to stay in orbit an extra three months.
Only one other American — yearlong spaceman Scott Kelly — has spent longer in space on a single mission.
Three men remain at the space station, an American, a Russian and an Italian. They will be joined by two Americans and a Russian following liftoff from Kazakhstan on September 12.
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