Russian Soyuz TMA-18 Returns with ISS Crew

The Russian Soyuz TMA-18 spacecraft has returned to earth carrying crew from the International Space Station’s Expedition 24.

The spacecraft undocked from the station’s Zvezda module on 24 September 2010.

Following undocking and a normal descent, the crew landed near Arkalyk, Kazakhstan and Russian recovery teams were on hand to help the crew exit the Soyuz vehicle and adjust to gravity after 176 days in space.

The three ISS crew, Expedition 24 Commander Alexander Skvortsov and Flight Engineers Tracy Caldwell Dyson and Mikhail Kornienko spent 174 days on the station.