Published 12:23 IST, October 22nd 2020
NASA's Soyuz crew lands on Earth from ISS after 195 days mission
Roscosmos’ astronaut Chris Cassidy, NASA cosmonauts Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Va touched down on Soyuz MS-16 spacecraft at 7:32 pm in Kazakhstan desert area.
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Russian space agency Roscosmos’ astronaut Chris Cassidy and cosmonauts Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner landed on Earth at 10:54 p.m. EDT in Kazakhstan on October 21 post completion of 195-day mission. The three crew members had departed to International Space Station (ISS) in early April and had remained there for over 6 months. The trio touched down on Soyuz MS-16 spacecraft at 7:32 pm in the Kazakhstan desert area, interestingly, having remained in space most of the coronavirus pandemic months.
According to a NASA release, prior to their departure in space, the crew had undergone strict quarantine measures. Astronaut Cassidy was asked to isolate in Russia’s Star City ahead of the spacecraft’s launch into the ISS. He then spent a total of 378 days in space, which makes him the fifth-highest space-time crew member. Rigorous post-landing medical checks have been arranged for the trio before they head for their homeward journey. While Cassidy will return to Houston on board a NASA plane, Vagner and Ivanishin will return to Russia’s Star City. The cosmonauts and astronauts performed over 20 years of crewed operations aboard ISS before safely returning to Earth.
The Soyuz crew ship undocked from the station at 7:32pm ET today and will return to Earth at 10:55pm with @Astro_SEAL, @ivan_mks63 and Anatoly Ivanishin. Read more... https://t.co/Jf8Z7KD3Jb pic.twitter.com/JuXrzpKF8l
— Intl. Space Station (@Space_Station) October 21, 2020
Touchdown!!! The Exp 63 crew, with @Astro_SEAL, @ivan_mks63 and Anatoly Ivanishin, has returned to Earth landing safely in Kazakhstan at 10:54pm ET. https://t.co/6xxCacI1Fd pic.twitter.com/VCQEIdzwHe
— Intl. Space Station (@Space_Station) October 22, 2020
Ahead of their return on the Earth, Astronaut Cassidy Tweeted pictures of himself with a caption, “Getting suited up for return!” He had also tweeted seven tubes of blood placed in a deep freezer, asking, what the price of a return ride back to Earth was. A former U.S. Navy SEAL, Cassidy said at a press conference in March that he had gone through tough isolation before heading to ISS. He further added, had he been in a normal quarantine, he’d probably have gone to some restaurants or would have left the immediate parameters of the Star City area. But not this time, there were strict regulations due to the pandemic.
.@Astro_SEAL handed over station command today to @Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Ryzhikov. The Exp 63 crew returns to Earth on Wednesday live on @NASA TV. More... https://t.co/dxZPs4DymV pic.twitter.com/NLtpCGqZTH
— Intl. Space Station (@Space_Station) October 20, 2020
What is the price of a return ride back to Earth?....8 tubes of blood!! The 7 shown in this picture were taken in the morning to be placed in our deep freezer, and the 8th will be drawn just prior to undock for ground processing soon after landing. pic.twitter.com/mUX8Nu2HXn
— Chris Cassidy (@Astro_SEAL) October 21, 2020
Getting suited up for return! pic.twitter.com/739TDMKqfj
— Chris Cassidy (@Astro_SEAL) October 21, 2020
NASA’s SpaceX Crew-1 mission
The crew was launched from Site 31 Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan and arrived on the ISS on April 9. After their return from the ISS, there is three-person more crew of Expedition 64 to take in charge. NASA astronaut Kate Rubins, and station commander Sergey Ryzhikov and Sergey Kud-Sverchkov of Roscosmos reached ISS on October 13. Meanwhile, NASA’s SpaceX Crew-1 mission targeted to launch in November will increment the crew to seven people for the first time with astronauts Michael Hopkins, Victor Glover and Shannon Walker, and Soichi Noguchi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency.
12:24 IST, October 22nd 2020