Astronaut Mark Vande Hei returns to Earth from ISS

Astronaut Mark Vande Hei returns to Earth from ISS - The Washington Post

Two Russian cosmonauts and a NASA astronaut landed in a distant space of Kazakhstan on Wednesday after undocking from the Worldwide Area Station and flying again to Earth in a historic mission that got here amid mounting tensions over the conflict in Ukraine.

The Soyuz spacecraft touched down beneath a parachute proper on time, at 7:28 a.m. Jap, and rescue crews descended on the capsule and erected a medical tent to evaluate the astronauts’ well being earlier than flying them dwelling.

Rob Navias, of NASA’s public affairs workplace, stated on NASA’s broadcast that it was “an ideal touchdown, a bull’s eye landing.” Shortly earlier than landing, he stated, “the crew feeling high-quality, every thing going by the e book.”

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Navias stated that after the spacecraft Soyuz landed it “was pulled over by the wind” and was on its aspect. He stated that “shouldn’t be uncommon,” including: “The search and restoration personnel are starting the method of safing the automobile,” or getting it right into a steady orientation.

Vande Hei was pulled out of the capsule whereas it was nonetheless on its aspect, a few half-hour after touchdown. He appeared in good spirits, smiling and giving the bottom crews a thumbs up.

The touchdown marks the top of a triumphant mission for NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei, whose 355 days in area set a document for the longest single spaceflight for an American. His protected return, alongside together with his Russian counterparts Pyotr Dubrov and Anton Shkaplerov, additionally serves as a strong image of partnership amid heightened tensions between the US and Russia over the conflict in Ukraine — pressure that has surfaced persistent questions on whether or not the connection in area can endure.

Ever since Russia’s bloody invasion of Ukraine started greater than a month in the past, NASA has steadfastly maintained that the station has been working usually and that its relationship of greater than 20 years with the Russian area company has been unaffected by the turmoil on the bottom.

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NASA deployed a crew of about 20 personnel to Kazakhstan to retrieve Vande Hei, who could be whisked away in a helicopter to a NASA plane at a close-by airstrip. He’s scheduled to fly straight again to Houston to be reunited with family and friends. The Russian and American groups seemed to be working nicely collectively within the restoration effort, which they’ve performed many occasions earlier than over their lengthy partnership in area.

NASA has stated it can not function the station with out the Russians, which offer the propulsion that enables the ISS to maintain its orbit and maneuver when wanted. Russia wants NASA, as nicely, because the area company gives energy to the Russian phase of the station.

Dmitry Rogozin, the top of the Russian area company, has continued a marketing campaign of threats and bluster, saying Russia might stroll away from the partnership and, with out its capability to spice up the station, even depart it to crash into the bottom. In the meantime, NASA’s high officers have gone to nice lengths to look measured {and professional} — targeted, above all, on maintaining the crews alive in area.

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NASA has repeatedly stated the 2 area businesses are working nicely on an operational stage and that the mission continues to transcend geopolitics. Regardless of the at-times harsh rhetoric coming from Russia, NASA Administrator Invoice Nelson has stated he’s targeted on the actions of the Russians straight concerned within the administration of the station. When Russia flew a crew of three cosmonauts to the station earlier this month, that was an indication, he stated, “that the Russians are nonetheless dedicated to the Worldwide Area Station.”

Russian cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov on March 29 handed management of the Worldwide Area Station to U.S. astronaut Thomas Marshburn. (Video: The Washington Submit, Picture: The Washington Submit)

That comity was on show Tuesday, when cosmonaut Shkaplerov handed over command of the station to NASA astronaut Thomas Marshburn, saying that whereas “folks have issues on Earth … on orbit we’re one crew.” Talking in English, he referred to as the area station “a logo of friendship and cooperation and like a logo of the way forward for exploration in area.”

He thanked “my area brothers and sisters” and praised Marshburn, saying he could be a “skilled commander of ISS.”

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Shkaplerov even joked concerning the satellite tv for pc that Russia blew up final yr with a missile, scattering particles in Earth orbit that threatened to hit the area station. “Sadly, we had a few emergency conditions however not actual harmful. It’s like some satellites attempt to kill us, however we work collectively very exhausting.”

The astronauts and cosmonauts hugged one another, as is frequent amongst crew members coming and going from the station. The photographs of the crews embracing and wishing one another nicely stood in stark distinction to the exhausting rhetoric of politicians and the photographs of Ukrainian cities shelled and burned, as refugees pour out of the war-torn nation.

However the ISS was all the time meant as a device of diplomacy as a lot as a laboratory for science and exploration, a means for the US and Russia to work collectively after the top of the Chilly Struggle.

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NASA hopes this collaboration will proceed. It has invested greater than $100 billion into the station and now has SpaceX to offer common crew transportation to and from the station.

The White Home not too long ago stated it could lengthen the lifetime of the ISS — which has been repeatedly occupied for greater than 20 years — till 2030. Russia, nevertheless, has dedicated to the station solely by way of 2024. Not too long ago, Russian area company head Rogozin stated the nation would “carefully monitor the actions of our American companions and, in the event that they proceed to be hostile, we’ll return to the query of the existence of the Worldwide Area Station.”

Whereas on the station, Vande Hei, a retired Military colonel who served within the Iraq Struggle, stated he turned buddies together with his Russian counterparts. “They’re fantastic human beings,” he informed CBS Information in January. “I positively suppose that the area station and our cooperation with the Russians on the area station, particularly, are an important signal of how profitable we will be after we get to know one another and to do issues which can be cooperative, somewhat than discover factors of battle.”

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This week, NASA chief Nelson informed reporters that the company will rejoice Vande Hei’s “historic 355 days in area.” And he added that “for the security of our astronauts, the working relationship between NASA and our worldwide companions continues. And that features the skilled relationship between the cosmonauts and our astronauts.”

Vande Hei’s document of 355 days on the ISS eclipses Scott Kelly’s 340 days. When Vande Hei launched virtually a yr in the past with Dubrov, who additionally spent almost a yr in area, he knew there was the chance it could last more than the standard six months. However wasn’t certain. NASA ended up extending Vande Hei’s flight to make room for a Russian actress and producer to shoot scenes for a film on the ISS in addition to to make sure there could be a continued U.S. presence on the station.

In all, Vande Hei and Dubrov accomplished 5,680 orbits of Earth and traveled greater than 150 million miles, NASA stated.

He stated he has loved his tour however by no means counted down the times till his return. “I believe that may simply be make it more difficult for me. … In the event that they stated I wanted to remain up longer, I’d fortunately keep up longer, however I’d not volunteer to remain up longer.”


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