The Soyuz MS-25 capsule has successfully landed in Kazakhstan, bringing back two Russian cosmonauts and one American astronaut who completed a record-breaking mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The spacecraft undocked from the ISS’ Prichal module on September 23, beginning its return to Earth, culminating in a parachute-assisted landing in the vast Kazakh steppe, southeast of the city of Zhezkazgan. The descent lasted approximately three and a half hours.
The descent of the Soyuz MS-25 capsule
The descent was closely monitored by rescuers, who assisted the crew members in their exit from the capsule. Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub, the Russian cosmonauts, achieved a new record for continuous stay on the ISS , exceeding 370 days in orbit. Meanwhile, Tracy Dyson, the American astronaut, returned after spending six months in space , successfully completing her third mission.
The capsule descended through the Earth’s atmosphere with the help of a parachute, cushioning the final impact thanks to a system of thrusters that were activated in the last seconds before landing. After their arrival, the astronauts were transferred to a nearby medical tent for routine check-ups, where they began the process of readapting to Earth’s gravity.
This return leaves a mark on Russian space missions, as Kononenko has accumulated a total of 1,110 days in space over his five missions, consolidating his position as one of the most experienced cosmonauts. The mission also coincided with problems with Boeing’s Starliner capsule, which forced two other astronauts to stay longer than planned on the ISS.
NASA announced just days after the capsule landed on Earth that after landing, the crew will be flown to Karaganda, Kazakhstan, where Dyson will board a NASA plane to return to Houston, while the Russian cosmonauts will travel to Star City, Russia. This return marks a key moment in long-term space research and preparations for future missions to the Moon and Mars under NASA’s Artemis program.
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Source: Infobae
Photos: NASA