Summary
A Russian space capsule has successfully undocked from the International Space Station (ISS), carrying three astronauts back to Earth, including two who have set a record for the longest continuous stay on the station. The capsule is expected to land in Kazakhstan approximately 3.5 hours after undocking.
On September 15, 2023, Russians Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub launched to the ISS, where they recently achieved the milestone of the longest mission duration. American astronaut Tracy Dyson, on her third spaceflight, completed a six-month stay aboard the ISS. Currently, eight astronauts remain on the station, including Americans Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who have experienced delays in their return due to issues with the Boeing Starliner capsule. NASA has opted to have them return with SpaceX next year for safety reasons.
Key Details
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Record-Setting Mission: Kononenko and Chub’s mission set a new benchmark for continuous time spent on the ISS, highlighting advancements in long-duration spaceflight.
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Current Crew Status: The remaining crew on the ISS includes astronauts who have faced unexpected extensions to their missions due to technical difficulties with their scheduled return vehicle.
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Future Returns: NASA’s decision to use SpaceX for the return of Wilmore and Williams reflects ongoing challenges in ensuring astronaut safety during space travel.
For more detailed coverage, see the articles from ABC30 and Newsday.
Capsule carrying 2 Russians and 1 American heads to Earth from space station
Sep. 23 / Newsday “ MOSCOW — A Russian space capsule undocked from the International Space Station on Monday to take three astronauts back to Earth, two of them completing a...
Capsule carrying 2 Russians, 1 American returns to Earth from space station
Sep. 23 / Abc 30 “ MOSCOW, Russia -- A Russian space capsule undocked from the International Space Station on Monday to take three astronauts back to Earth, two of them...