Mark Vande Hei rides back with Anton Shkaplerov and Pyotr Dubrov after 355 days at International Space Station, a US record
Highlights
- A Nasa astronaut caught a Russian ride back to Earth on Wednesday after a US record 355 days at the International Space Station.
- Despite escalating tensions between the US and Russia over Vladimir Putin’s war with Ukraine, the return followed customary procedures.
- A small Nasa team of doctors and other staff was on hand for the touchdown and planned to return immediately to Houston.
- Despite getting along “fantastically… I’m not sure we really want to go there”, he said.
- The European Space Agency confirmed that it was indefinitely suspending its ExoMars.
- The agency said that it would continue to work with all its international partners, including Russia.