According to US media reports, at 7:28 a.m. Eastern Time on the 30th, the Russian Soyuz MS-19 spacecraft carrying two Russian astronauts and one American astronaut successfully landed on the steppes of Kazakhstan, bringing the American astronauts back to Earth as scheduled.
Image source: Screenshot of the International Space Station Twitter
About half an hour after landing, all three astronauts were carried out of the spacecraft and cooperated with the medical supervision and medical insurance in a semi-lying position. Mark Van der Black, a 55-year-old astronaut who set a new record for the length of consecutive U.S. flights in orbit, wore a blanket bearing the distinctive logo of the Russian Space Agency.
At the same time, the main screen of the Mission Control Center of the Russian Space Agency also typed "Welcome back, Mark!" in English. The words ", greetings to the American astronauts.
Russian Mission Control Center Welcomes American Astronauts Home on Big Screen (Source: NASA)
Previously, some US media questioned whether Russia would refuse to send American astronauts back to Earth due to a series of sanctions caused by the situation in Ukraine. The Russian Federal Space Agency stresses that the safety of the members of the International Space Station is the most important priority.
A touching scene! Russian astronauts handed over the "keys" to American astronauts
According to Russian media reports on the 29th, before returning to Earth, Russian astronaut Anton Shkaplerov handed over the "key" symbolizing the International Space Station to Thomas Mashburn, an American astronaut who continued to be on duty.
Anton served as commander of the International Space Station during this flight. In his farewell speech, he said: "Human beings have difficult problems on earth and in space, but I think the International Space Station is a symbol of friendship, cooperation, and a symbol of the future of space exploration." Thank you very much to my fellow astronauts, you are like my space brothers and space sisters. ”
Handover ceremony of command on the International Space Station (Source: NASA)
After the handover was completed, the two American and Russian astronauts embraced each other in applause.
Source: An Jian, Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission