Dropping to Earth under a huge parachute, a Russian Soyuz spacecraft carrying outgoing space station Commander Mike Fincke, Flight Engineer Yury Lonchakov, and space tourist Charles Simonyi settled to a jarring landing in Kazakhstan on Wednesday after a descent from the International Space Station.
Soyuz TMA-13 spacecraft at the moment of touchdown in Kazakhstan.
(Credit: NASA)With Lonchakov at the controls, the central descent module of the Soyuz TMA-13 spacecraft touched down at 3:16 a.m. EDT northeast of Dzhezkazgan, coming to rest on its side.
Russian recovery forces were staged nearby to assist the returning space fliers, as required, and by 3:30 a.m., all three were resting comfortably in reclining chairs near the descent module, smiling and chatting with flight surgeons and technicians.
"It landed just a few kilometers long of its intended site, but essentially a dead-on, spot-on, bull's-eye landing for Mike Fincke, Yury Lonchakov, and Charles Simonyi," said NASA commentator Rob Navias from the landing site. "The Soyuz landed on its side. That is very typical for a Soyuz landing. It is breezy out here today; the wind caught the chutes, pulled the capsule over. But it was a very quick extraction out of the top hatch for the three crew members. They all look to be in excellent shape."
Landing came one day later than originally planned because of soggy conditions at the normal landing zone north of Arkalyk.
The Soyuz TMA-13 spacecraft undocked from the International Space Station at 11:55 p.m. Tuesday. Lonchakov carried out a four-and-a-half-minute deorbit rocket firing at 2:24 a.m., slowing the ship by about 258 mph and putting it on the proper trajectory for landing.
Just before atmospheric entry, Russian flight controllers lost contact with the spacecraft, but the three modules making up the Soyuz TMA-13 spacecraft apparently separated as planned, and the central descent module carrying the crew made a normal re-entry. Communications were restored a few minutes before the craft's braking parachute was deployed, and Lonchakov reported "nominal" conditions on board.
Returning space station crew relaxes after landing (seated, left to right): Charles Simonyi, Yury Lonchakov, Mike Fincke.
(Credit: NASA TV)"We're happy to say one more space flight mission is now in the history books," an unidentified Russian observed.
U.S. flight controllers then called the space station, informing Expedition 19 commander Gennady Padalka, flight engineer Michael Barratt, and Koichi Wakata that their crewmates had made a safe landing.
"Hey guys, just in case you didn't have good video and audio during that, the Soyuz landed safely. The crew reported they feel fine. SAR (search-and-recovery) forces are on the scene," called the spacecraft communicator.
"We did get that, and thanks so much for the video," Barratt replied. "We saw it, and hurrah for the 18 crew and Charles Simonyi, and welcome them back to Earth."
Touchdown ended a 178-day voyage for Fincke and Lonchakov, who were launched to the station October 12 as the core members of the lab's 18th full-time crew. Fincke's time in space through two space station expeditions now stands at 366 days, putting him third on the list of most experienced U.S. astronauts, behind Peggy Whitson, with 377 days, and Mike Foale, with 374 days.
Lonchakov's total for three space missions stands at 201 days, while Simonyi's 13-day station visit boosted his two-flight total to 27 days. Simonyi, a Hungarian-born U.S. software developer, is the first space tourist to make two privately financed trips to the space station. His wife, Lisa, was standing by at the recovery zone to welcome him back to Earth with a kiss.
Lisa Simonyi welcomes husband Charles back to Earth after space station visit.
(Credit: NASA TV)"It was a difficult decision for me to fly for the second time, and now, looking back, I'm so glad that I've done it," Simonyi said Tuesday during a brief farewell ceremony aboard the station. "It was a great trip. Thank you, everyone. I'm looking forward to (getting) home to my wife, but it was a fantastic trip. Thank you."
An inflatable tent was set up at the landing site for initial medical checks before helicopter flights back to Karaganda and then a three-hour flight to the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City near Moscow, where friends and family members were waiting.
Fincke was welcomed home in Kazakhstan by NASA space station Program Manager Mike Suffredini, chief astronaut Steve Lindsey, and a NASA flight surgeon Steve Hart.
Snow and soggy conditions at the primary landing site in Kazakhstan prompted Russian flight planners on Friday to order a 24-hour delay, from April 7 to 8, for the return to Earth of a Soyuz capsule carrying outgoing space station commander Mike Fincke, flight engineer Yury Lonchakov, and space tourist Charles Simonyi.
The mission had been scheduled to conclude with a touchdown on April 7 northeast of Arkalyk, Kazakhstan, but the landing zone has been moved to a backup site about 180 miles to the southeast, where conditions may be more favorable. Touchdown now is targeted for 3:15 a.m. EDT on April 8.
Fincke and Lonchakov were launched to the International Space Station aboard the Soyuz TMA-13 spacecraft October 12. Their replacements--Expedition 19 commander Gennady Padalka and flight engineer Michael Barratt, a NASA physician-astronaut--were launched March 26 aboard the Soyuz TMA-14 spacecraft. They were joined by Simonyi, a Hungarian-born U.S. software developer making his second privately funded trip to the space station.
During a change-of-command ceremony Thursday, Fincke formally handed the station over to Padalka, saying "all systems are in order, and Yury and I can now take a little bit of a rest and get ready, along with Charles, to come back to the planet."
"Thank you very much, my best friend," Padalka replied. "Expedition 19 is very happy to get (the) space station in great operational condition...We're ready to work on behalf of all our space agencies and..all human beings."
With a handshake, Expedition 18 commander Mike Fincke, right, transfers command to Expedition 19 commander Gennady Padalka. Crew, from left to right: Charles Simonyi, Michael Barratt, Padalka, Yury Lonchakov, Fincke, Koichi Wakata.
(Credit: NASA TV)If all goes well, Fincke, Lonchakov, and Simonyi will say farewell to Padalka, Barratt, and Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata the evening of April 7, sealing hatches between the Soyuz TMA-13 spacecraft and the downward-facing port of the Russian Zarya module around 8:45 p.m.
Undocking is planned for 11:55 p.m., with a 22-second deorbit rocket firing expected at 2:24 a.m. on April 8. The three modules making up the Soyuz spacecraft will separate just before atmospheric entry at 2:52 a.m., and the central crew module carrying Fincke, Lonchakov, and Simonyi will descend to a parachute-and-rocket-assisted touchdown at 3:15 a.m.
Assuming an on-time landing, Fincke will have logged 178 days in space, pushing his total time through two space station expeditions to 366 days, third on the list of most experienced U.S. astronauts behind Peggy Whitson (377 days) and Mike Foale (374 days).
Lonchakov will have logged 178 days in space on this flight for a total time of 201 days over three missions. Simonyi's total will be 13 days in space for this flight for a total of 27 including his first station visit in 2007.
Soyuz TMA-13 spacecraft, foreground, with Progress supply ship in background.
(Credit: NASA TV)Simonyi's visit was arranged through Space Adventures, a Vienna, Virginia-based company that has brokered seven space tourist flights using available seats on Russian Soyuz capsules, beginning in 2001 with U.S. businessman Dennis Tito.
But plans to boost the station's crew size from three to six in late May could mean a hiatus in tourist flights, at least in the near term. While one seat on a Soyuz flight scheduled for launch this fall apparently has opened up, it's not yet clear whether the Russians will fill the slot with a professional cosmonaut or allow Space Adventures to book one of its clients who has gone through training as a backup.
"There is a possibility that one of Space Adventures' clients could launch on Soyuz TMA-16, which is currently scheduled for launch this September 30," Eric Anderson, CEO of Space Adventures, told reporters Friday. "We have learned from Roskosmos (the Russian space agency) that the third seat aboard Soyuz TMA-16 may not, in fact, be used by the cosmonaut from Kazakhstan, and if that seat is not used...Roskosmos is considering both the possibility of another spaceflight participant opportunity for Space Adventures or using the seat for a professional Russian cosmonaut."
Esther Dyson, a respected high-tech journalist, entrepreneur, and Space Adventures investor, trained as Simonyi's backup and attended his launch at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. But it's not clear whether she could fly on such short notice or whether she could complete required training in time. There are no other known clients who are thought to have a realistic shot at the September flight.
Even so, Anderson expressed optimism that additional seats will open up occasionally, and he said the company is pressing ahead with plans for privately funded Soyuz missions, starting in 2012, that would include a Russian commander and two tourists per mission.
But it's not yet known whether the Russians can build enough Soyuz capsules and rockets to support expanded space station operations as well as tourist flights. Between the end of shuttle operations in 2010 and the debut of its replacement in 2015, the Soyuz flight rate will have to double to support six-person crew operations aboard the space station.
"I am aware of the questions that have been raised regarding the ability of the Russian space industry to supply an increased number of Soyuz missions," Anderson said. "Building rockets is a complicated business; it's certainly challenging, but...I'm confident (that) by 2012, for example, the prospect of adding a fifth Soyuz is something that is reasonable."
But tickets to space, assuming that the seats are available, will be increasingly expensive.
Tito's ticket reportedly cost $20 million. The price has since gone up to about $35 million, according to Simonyi. In a prelaunch telephone interview with CBS News, Simonyi said the future of commercial spaceflight is "certainly not my concern." But, he added, "my feeling is (that) the commercial pressures will be toward resolving this and (having) more flights."
Even at the current list price, Simonyi said, the experience of flying in space is worth it for those who can afford the cost.
"The price is going up," Simonyi said. "Future seats that NASA has bought are even more expensive. This has to be put into perspective because other means of getting to space are even more expensive. So this one is actually quite cost-effective at the current state of technology."
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