Incredible photos of space station crew's return to Earth after 6 months
After spending 176 days in space, aboard the International Space Station, one NASA astronaut, Barry Wilmore, and two Russian Federal Space Agency cosmonauts, Alexander Samokutyaev and Elena Serova, returned to solid Earth on Wednesday evening at approximately 10:07 pm ET.
Below is an image of the return capsule they were in as the re-entered Earth's atmosphere:
Re-entering Earth's atmosphere is one of the most dangerous parts of a mission to and from space, but the three crew members looked to be in tip-top shape as they reclined in chairs to re-adjust their bodies to Earth's gravity.
After living for 6 months in a weightless environment, their bodies had undergone some rather unpleasant changes, including bone and muscle loss, which is why they're taking it easy as doctors perform standard medical tests on them.
Earth's atmosphere does have its perks, however: It slows the spacecraft down to the point where the crew can deploy the parachute and glide safely and slowly down to Earth's surface through, what appears to be, stratus clouds in the image below:
The astronauts landed in a snow-covered part of Kazakhstan, where they were then helped out of the tiny capsule and into some very comfy-looking chairs. It was a few degrees below zero outside when they landed, but Willmore seemed happy to just be home.Cosmonaut Samokutyaev, shown below, marveled in the simple pleasure of fresh fruit according to Space.com:"I am drinking tea with real lemon," he said while sipping happily. "It's great."
- Saudi Arabia wants China to help fund its struggling $500 billion Neom megaproject. Investors may not be too excited.
- I spent $2,000 for 7 nights in a 179-square-foot room on one of the world's largest cruise ships. Take a look inside my cabin.
- One of the world's only 5-star airlines seems to be considering asking business-class passengers to bring their own cutlery
- Experts warn of rising temperatures in Bengaluru as Phase 2 of Lok Sabha elections draws near
- Axis Bank posts net profit of ₹7,129 cr in March quarter
- 7 Best tourist places to visit in Rishikesh in 2024
- From underdog to Bill Gates-sponsored superfood: Have millets finally managed to make a comeback?
- 7 Things to do on your next trip to Rishikesh