Soyuz Landing Caps Historic Space Station Increment International Space Station Expedition 20 Commander Gennady Padalka and Flight Engineer Michael Barratt landed their Soyuz TMA-14 spacecraft on the steppes of Kazakhstan Sunday, wrapping up a six-month stay. Joining them was spaceflight participant Guy Laliberte, who spent 11 days in space. Padalka, the Soyuz commander, guided the spacecraft to a parachute-assisted landing at 12:32 a.m. EDT at a site northeast of the town of Arkalyk.
Billionaire circus entrepreneur Guy Laliberte has returned to Earth after a 10-day tourist visit to the International Space Station (ISS). A Soyuz capsule carrying Mr Laliberte and two astronauts landed in Kazakhstan at 10:32 local time (04:32GMT). Mr Laliberte, who called himself "the first clown in space", used his trip to promote awareness of water shortages.
Canadian billionaire Guy Laliberte will begin his return to Earth tonight from the International Space Station, after a nearly two-week trip that was capped off by a star-studded, international concert to highlight the world's shortage of clean water. The Cirque du soleil founder will return home aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft that is scheduled to undock from the International Space Station just after 9 p.m. EDT. Read more
Expedition 20 Prepares Soyuz TMA-14 for Undocking Expedition 20 Commander Gennady Padalka and Flight Engineer Michael Barratt are training for their descent when they leave the International Space Station on Saturday. They tested the motion control system of the Soyuz TMA-14 spacecraft which will carry them to a landing in Kazakhstan. Canadian spaceflight participant Guy Laliberte will join Padalka and Barratt for the ride home.
The crew of the International Space Station has increased to six for the first time today with the arrival of three new residents including ESA astronaut Frank De Winne with the Soyuz TMA-15 spacecraft. The Soyuz TMA-15 docked with the International Space Station at 14:34 CEST (12:34 UT). After leak checks, the hatches between the two spacecraft were opened at 16:14 CEST (14:14 UT).
A Soyuz-FG SL-4 Rocket Body that was launched on the 27th May, 2009, for the Soyuz TMA-15 mission is predicted to re-enter the Earths atmosphere on the 31st May, 2009 @ 05:17 GMT ± 24 hours.