ESA Astronaut André Kuipers Returns to Earth from ISS

ESA astronaut André Kuipers shortly after returning to Earth on Sunday 1 July 2012.

He landed in the steppes of Kazakhstan at 08:14 GMT after 193 days in space.

André conducted many scientific experiments during his six-month PromISSe mission on the International Space Station.

In addition to his scientific workload, André carried out maintenance and operational tasks. Highlights included receiving ESA’s Automated Transfer Vehicle Edoardo Amaldi cargo ferry and docking the first commercial spacecraft, Dragon.

For further information, please visit: www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMZAO1VW3H_index_0.htmlCredits: ESA–S. Corvaja, 2012

NASA ISS Expedition 30 Crew Returns to Earth - YouTube

Expedition 30 Commander Dan Burbank of NASA, Russian Soyuz Commander Anton Shkaplerov and Flight Engineer Anatoly Ivanishin landed safely on the steppe of Kazakhstan on April 27, 2012, after bidding farewell to the Expedition 31 crew and undocking their Soyuz TMA-22 spacecraft from the International Space Station.

The trio completed almost six months in space following a launch in November 2011. They are shown being assisted into reclining chairs by Russian personnel and beginning their adaptation to gravity after they were extracted from their capsule in Kazakhstan.

NASA Expedition 30 Commander Dan Burbank's safe Return

Expedition 30 Commander Dan Burbank smiles as he rests outside the Soyuz TMA-02M Capsule just minutes after he and Expedition 30 Flight Engineers Anton Shkaplerov and Anatoly Ivanishin landed in a remote area outside of the town of Arkalyk, Kazakhstan, on Friday, April 27, 2012.

NASA Astronaut Burbank, Russian Cosmonauts Shkaplerov and Ivanishin are returning from more than five months onboard the International Space Station where they served as members of the Expedition 29 and 30 crews.

image Credit: NASA/Carla Cioffi 

NASA ISS Expedition 30 Crew Land Safely - Video

Expedition 30 Commander Dan Burbank is carried to a medical tent after being extracted from the Soyuz TMA-22 spacecraft (Credits: NASA).

NASA ISS Expedition 30 Crew Land safely in Kazakhstan - Video

Expedition 30 Commander Dan Burbank is carried to a medical tent after being extracted from the Soyuz TMA-22 spacecraft (Credits: NASA).

The Soyuz TMA-22 spacecraft carrying Expedition 30 Commander Dan Burbank and Flight Engineers Anton Shkaplerov and Anatoly Ivanishin landed in Kazakhstan at 7:45 a.m. EDT. They undocked from the International Space Station at 4:18 a.m. EDT officially ending their stay.

The Soyuz performed a deorbit burn at 6:49 a.m. before the descent module separated from the rest of the Russian spacecraft and entered the Earth’s atmosphere. Afterward, the Soyuz deployed several parachutes, slowing its descent, and then fired three small engines to soften its landing.

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NASA ISS Expedition 30 crew Departure: Hatches close on Soyuz TMA-22

The Expedition Crew 30 and 31 prior to departure.

Expedition 31 Commander Oleg Kononenko (left) and Expedition 30 Commander Dan Burbank prepare to close the hatches between the International Space Station and the Soyuz TMA-22 spacecraft. Credit: NASA

Expedition 30 Commander Dan Burbank and Flight Engineers Anton Shkaplerov and Anatoly Ivanishin have said their farewells, entered the Soyuz TMA-22 spacecraft and closed the hatches at 1:12 a.m. EDT.

They will undock from the International Space Station at 4:18 a.m. ending Expedition 30 and landing in Kazakhstan three and a half hours later.

The Soyuz will perform a deorbit burn before the descent module separates from the rest of the Russian spacecraft and enters the Earth’s atmosphere.

Afterwards, the Soyuz will deploy several parachutes slowing its descent and then fire three small engines to soften its landing in the steppe of Kazakhstan.

Expedition 26 Soyuz Landing: Soyuz TMA-01M spacecraft

Russian support personnel work to help get crew members out of the Soyuz TMA-01M spacecraft shortly after the capsule landed with Expedition 26 Commander Scott Kelly and Flight Engineers Oleg Skripochka and Alexander Kaleri near the town of Arkalyk, Kazakhstan on Wednesday, March 16, 2011.

You might have noticed in post-landing pictures that nobody approaches the “bottom” part of the Soyuz descent module. Ever wondered why?

Many people have suggested that it might be very hot. In fact, that is not the case. 

The real heat shield is ejected at an altitude of ca. 5,5 km when the capsule is already hanging under the parachute.

Others have suggested that there might be a danger of accidental firing of the retrorockets. 

Although this sounds like a reasonable suggestion, we are not aware that this presents a risk.

These are two sources of danger that we know of:

1) The gamma-ray altimeter
This device is responsible for generating a signal before ground impact (ca 0,74m) that causes retrorockets to fire

2) Antenna deployment
 

There are three UHF antennas on the bottom of the descent module. When the descent modules comes to a stop laying on its side, the highest one of the three is automatically deployed eight minutes after ground contact, or earlier by the crew. 

For deployment, the panels covering the antennas are shot away by explosive charges. In case of positive contact with the rescue squad, the crew is typically told to inhibit further antenna deployment; however, a residual danger remains, hence the Keep-Out-Zone.

New Crew Arrives at Space Station on Russian TMA-22 Spaceship

Top row (from left to right): Japanese astronaut Satoshi Furukawa, NASA astronaut Mike Fossum and Russian cosmonaut Sergei Volkov. 

Bottom row (from left to right): Russian cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov, NASA astronaut Dan Burbank, and Russian cosmonaut Anatoly Ivanishin.
CREDIT: NASA TV

A spacecraft carrying the three newest residents of the International Space Station safely arrived at the orbiting outpost today (Nov. 16), after a two-day space journey.

NASA astronaut Dan Burbank and Russian cosmonauts Anton Shkaplerov and Anatoly Ivanishin reached the space station early Wednesday, slightly ahead of schedule at 12:24 a.m. EST (0524 GMT).

The trio parked their Russian-built Soyuz TMA-22 capsule at the Poisk mini research module on the station's Russian segment, as both spacecraft flew 248 miles (400 kilometers) above the South Pacific.

The crew conducted an extensive set of leak checks before they opened the hatch of their capsule and floated into the station.

The hatches between the two spacecraft were opened at 2:39 a.m. EST (0839 GMT), according to NASA officials. The two crews greeted each other with laughter, hugs, and warm welcomes.

Soyuz TMA-M Simulator in Star City

Life-size simulator of the Soyuz TMA-M descend and orbital modules at GCTC.

It runs on the same computers and the same navigation and guidance software as the real vehicle and is just as cramped and uncomfortable.

Russian Space Agency names next crew to ISS

The Russian Space Agency Roscosmos confirmed on Monday the list of next crew members who will fly to the International Space Station (ISS) on Nov. 14.

Russia's Soyuz TMA-22 spacecraft will bring Russian cosmonauts Anton Shkaplerov and Anatoly Ivanishin and American astronaut Daniel Burbank to the ISS for a 124-day-long mission.

Russia's Gennady Padalka and Sergei Revin and American Josef Akaba are announced as the backup crew.

According to the Roscosmos, the new crew will host one manned and three unmanned cargo ships during their stay in the ISS and conduct a space walk as well as 37 scientific experiments.

During the new crew's stay, the ISS would also make its 75,000th revolution around the Earth, the Roscosmos said.

The launch of the Soyuz TMA-22 was initially scheduled on Sept. 22, but was postponed after the failed launch of the Progress cargo ship to the ISS on Aug. 24.

NASA Soyuz: Behind scenes video of Landing in Kazakhstan

Soyuz 50yr Gagarin Celebrations - TMA-21 VIP Badge

Russian Soyuz TMA-M spacecraft docks with ISS: Mir Cosmonaut Alexander Kaleri on board

The Soyuz TMA-M spacecraft that docked Sunday is a modernised version of the ship used by Russia to put humans into the space and the first of a new series to have fully digital systems.

Its crew includes one of Russia's most experience spacemen, Alexander Kaleri, whose first mission to space was in in March 1992 just after the fall of the Soviet Union to the now defunct Russian space station Mir.

Kaleri has already made four space flights, logging up 610 days in space and almost 24 hours of spacewalks, his last trip an October 2003 mission to the International Space Station.

Joining him are American Scott Kelly, who has made two spaceflights and Oleg Skripochka, who is making his first space flight. They had blasted off early on Friday from Russia's Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

On board the ISS, where they will spend the next five months, they are joining Americans Douglas Wheelock and Shannon Walker as well as Russian Fyodor Yurchikhin.

The newly arrived crew will receive two US shuttle flights
to the ISS during their stay -- Discovery in November and Endeavour in February.

The commander on the Endeavour flight is due to be Scott Kelly's twin brother Mark, meaning that if all goes to plan the two are set for an unprecedented reunion aboard the ISS.

After last month's undocking embarrassment, Russia's space programme suffered another problem this week when it emerged that the Soyuz due to launch on December 13 had suffered damage to its container on its way to Baikonur.

Roskosmos chief Anatoly Perminov has said its components had shifted by two milimetres but insisted that the next mission would be on schedule.

But sources quoted by Russian news agencies have said a delay until 2011 is possible.

BBC Video - Soyuz TMA-01M at the Launch Pad

NASA - Soyuz TMA-01M Rolls to the Launch Pad

The Soyuz TMA-01M spacecraft is rolled out by train to the launch pad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2010.

The Soyuz TMA-01M spacecraft is raised into launch position at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan. 

Credit: NASA/Carla Cioffi

The TMA-01M is a new modified Soyuz vehicle that features upgraded avionics and a digital cockpit display.

The launch of three new Expedition 25 crew members--Soyuz Commander Alexander Kaleri, NASA Flight Engineer Scott Kelly and Russian Flight Engineer Oleg Skripochka--is scheduled to launch on Thursday at 7:10 p.m. EDT.

Image Credit: NASA/Carla Cioffi

Russian Soyuz TMA-20 spacecraft damaged

Engineers spotted damage to the Soyuz TMA-20's transport container after it was shipped by rail to the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the president of the Energiya spaceship factory, Vitaly Lopota, told the Interfax news agency.

"When we put the ship on a stand to check it over before the launch, we discovered damage, but to the container, not to the ship," Lopota said.

"We will check everything, do more work on it and in December, I hope, we will fly on time," Lopota said.

The Soyuz is due on December 13 to transport Russian cosmonaut Dmitry Kondratyev and NASA astronauts Catherine Coleman and Paolo Nespoli to the International Space Station
(ISS).

The glitch follows a technical problem with undocking the Soyuz last month that forced the outgoing crew to return to the International Space Station for 24 hours. Their delay in landing was the first in a decade of Soyuz flights.

A source in the space industry told Interfax that the damage to the Soyuz container could require the ship to be sent back to the Energiya factory in the Moscow region.

"According to the results of the initial inspection of the damage, it cannot be ruled out that the ship will have to be returned to the factory," the source said. "A final decision will be taken in the next few days."

The head of the Russian space agency, Anatoly Perminov, will inspect the ship on Wednesday, Roskosmos spokesman Alexander Vorobyov told Interfax.

The December launch date would not be affected because there is a reserve ship, which is to be sent to Baikonur, Vorobyov added.

NASA - Soyuz Module Fails to undock from International Space Station

Expedition 24 crew members clockwise from the bottom are Russian cosmonaut Alexander Skvortsov, commander; NASA astronauts Tracy Caldwell Dyson and Doug Wheelock; Russian cosmonauts Mikhail Kornienko and Fyodor Yurchikhin; along with NASA astronaut Shannon Walker, all flight engineers. Image credit: NASA

Three departing Expedition 24 crew members will spend at least another day on the International Space Station following an unsuccessful attempt to undock their Soyuz spacecraft overnight.

At 12:12 a.m. EDT Friday, the Mission Control Centers in Houston and Moscow concurred on a plan to reopen the Soyuz hatches and allow Alexander Skvortsov, Tracy Caldwell Dyson and Mikhail Kornienko to reenter the station. The planned undocking was prevented when commands being sent to disengage the hooks and latches holding the Soyuz TMA-18 spacecraft failed. The spacecraft remains securely docked to the Poisk module.

Engineers are continuing to troubleshoot the problem. Expedition 25 Commander Doug Wheelock and Flight Engineers Shannon Walker and Fyodor Yurchikhin sent down video and still photos of a small star-shaped gear with two broken teeth, and experts are evaluating whether the part is related to the commanding problem.

Flight controllers are aiming for an undocking at 10:02 p.m. Friday, which would result in a landing at 1:21 a.m. Saturday, or 11:21 a.m. Kazakhstan time, near Arkalyk. The six-person station crew is scheduled to awaken about 10:30 a.m. Friday to begin preparations for the second undocking attempt.

NASA Television coverage of the Soyuz hatch closing activities will begin at 6:15 p.m. Friday, and landing coverage will begin at midnight.