ALMATI - Dvoje kozmonauta i NASA-in astronaut uspješno su u četvrtak sletjeli na Zemlju nakon 167 dana provedenih na Međunarodnoj svemirskoj stanici (ISS).
Kapsula u kojoj su bili Barry "Butch" Wilmore, Aleksandar Samokutjaev i Elena Serova na snježnu stepu spustila se neposredno nakon svitanja u središnjem dijelu Kazahstana.
"Sve teče po planu", kazao je komentator NASA-e. "Ekspedicija 42 vratila se na Zemlju."
Nakon vađenja iz kapsule troje članova posade ISS-a po ledenom vremenu omotana su pokrivačima dok su udisali svježi zrak i prolazili prvi liječnički pregled.
"Sve je odlično, hvala vam. Dečki su odlični i sve je išlo dobro", rekla je nasmiješena Serova dok joj je liječnica mjerila puls i krvni tlak.
KLIKNI NA FOTOGRAFIJU ZA UVEĆANJE (FOTO: AFP)
The Soyuz TMA-14M spacecraft is seen as it lands with Expedition 42 commander Barry Wilmore of NASA, Alexander Samokutyaev of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) and Elena Serova of Roscosmos near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan on Thursday, March 12, 2015. NASA Astronaut Wilmore, Russian Cosmonauts Samokutyaev and Serova are returning after almost six months onboard the International Space Station where they served as members of the Expedition 41 and 42 crews. AFP PHOTO / NASA / BILL INGALLS == RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE / MANDATORY CREDIT: "AFP PHOTO / NASA / BILL INGALLS"/ NO A LA CARTE SALES / NO MARKETING / NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS / DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS ==
Serova je postala prva Ruskinja koja je služila na ISS-u, projektu vrijednom sto milijarda dolara kojeg financira 15 zemlaja. Wilmoreu i Samokutjaevu ovo je drugi let u svemir.
"Sve je dobro. Pijem pravi čaj s limunom", rekao je Samokutjaev.
"Drago mi je što sam ovdje", rekao je Wilmore na ruskom prije nego što se troje astronauta ukrcalo u terenska vozila i potom u helikoptere.
NASA-in astronaut Terry Virts od utorka je zapovjednik ISS-a a s njim su kozmonaut Anton Škaplerov i Talijanka Samantha Cristoforetti. Oni će na ISS-u biti do sredine svibnja.
Wilmore je s Virtsom bio na svemirskim šetnjama kako bi pripremili "parkirna mjesta" za dva nova komercijalna svemirska taksija koje je angažirala NASA kako bi prevozila članove posade od 2017.
Expedition 42 Cosmonaut Elena Serova (L) of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos); Alexander Samokutyaev of Roscosmos (C); and NASA Astronaut Barry Wilmore (R) of NASA sit in chairs outside the Soyuz TMA-14M spacecraft just minutes after they landed in a remote area near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan on Thursday, March 12, 2015. NASA Astronaut Wilmore, Russian Cosmonauts Samokutyaev and Serova are returning after almost six months onboard the International Space Station where they served as members of the Expedition 41 and 42 crews. AFP PHOTO / NASA / BILL INGALLS == RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE / MANDATORY CREDIT: "AFP PHOTO / NASA / BILL INGALLS"/ NO A LA CARTE SALES / NO MARKETING / NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS / DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS ==
The Soyuz TMA-14M spacecraft is seen as it lands with Expedition 42 commander Barry Wilmore of NASA, Alexander Samokutyaev of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) and Elena Serova of Roscosmos near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan on Thursday, March 12, 2015. NASA Astronaut Wilmore, Russian Cosmonauts Samokutyaev and Serova are returning after almost six months onboard the International Space Station where they served as members of the Expedition 41 and 42 crews. AFP PHOTO / NASA / BILL INGALLS == RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE / MANDATORY CREDIT: "AFP PHOTO / NASA / BILL INGALLS"/ NO A LA CARTE SALES / NO MARKETING / NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS / DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS ==
The Soyuz TMA-14M spacecraft is seen as it lands with Expedition 42 commander Barry Wilmore of NASA, Alexander Samokutyaev of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) and Elena Serova of Roscosmos near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan on Thursday, March 12, 2015. NASA Astronaut Wilmore, Russian Cosmonauts Samokutyaev and Serova are returning after almost six months onboard the International Space Station where they served as members of the Expedition 41 and 42 crews. AFP PHOTO / NASA / BILL INGALLS == RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE / MANDATORY CREDIT: "AFP PHOTO / NASA / BILL INGALLS"/ NO A LA CARTE SALES / NO MARKETING / NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS / DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS ==