Two Russians, American land back on Earth after ISS mission

Sep 27, 2023

Roscosmos said Prokopyev and Petelin spent "370 days, 21 hours and 22 minutes in space -- the longest flight under the ISS program."

NASA astronaut Frank Rubio (L), Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev (C) and Dmitri Petelin sit in chairs outside the Soyuz MS-23 spacecraft after they landed. (AFP photo)

AFP .
@New Vision

Two Russian cosmonauts and an American astronaut landed back on Earth Wednesday after spending a year at the International Space Station (ISS), Russia's Roscosmos space agency said.  

"Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergei Prokopyev and Dmitry Petelin and NASA astronaut Francisco Rubio, who spent a year on board the ISS landed near the city of Jezkazgan in Kazakhstan," Roscosmos said.

It said the Soyuz MS-23 spacecraft carrying them reached Earth at 1117 GMT in a landing that took place in "normal mode."

This handout photograph taken and released by NASA on September 27, 2023, shows Expedition 69 NASA astronaut Frank Rubio (L) and Expedition 69 Roscosmos cosmonaut Dmitri Petelin of the International Space Station (ISS) crew as they sit inside the Soyuz MS-23 capsule. (AFP photo)

This handout photograph taken and released by NASA on September 27, 2023, shows Expedition 69 NASA astronaut Frank Rubio (L) and Expedition 69 Roscosmos cosmonaut Dmitri Petelin of the International Space Station (ISS) crew as they sit inside the Soyuz MS-23 capsule. (AFP photo)

Roscosmos said Prokopyev and Petelin spent "370 days, 21 hours and 22 minutes in space -- the longest flight under the ISS program."

NASA also confirmed the landing.

"Frank Rubio is back on Earth after 371 days," it said on X, formerly known as Twitter.

"The single longest spaceflight for any of our NASA astronauts comes to a close."

The three men had travelled on a Russian Soyuz to the ISS last year, in a mission that was meant to last only six months.

In this handout provided by NASA, the Soyuz MS-23 spacecraft is seen as it lands in a remote area near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan. (AFP photo)

In this handout provided by NASA, the Soyuz MS-23 spacecraft is seen as it lands in a remote area near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan. (AFP photo)

But the Soyuz suffered a leak probably due to impact from a tiny meteorite, so Moscow sent another rocket with no crew onboard.

The Russians and American then carried out the mission of the crew that was due to replace them.

The trio spent a year on the ISS -- a rare venue for cooperation between the US and Russia -- as tensions between Washington and Moscow intensified over the conflict in Ukraine.

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