Apr 19 2008
From The Space Library
The Russian Soyuz TMA-11 landed in Kazakhstan at 04:30 (EDT), after a ballistic reentry that deposited the spacecraft approximately 295 miles (474.76 kilometers) from its intended landing location. NASA officials explained that, in a ballistic reentry, a spacecraft reenters Earth’s atmosphere at an angle steeper than normal, subjecting the astronauts to higher gravitational forces. Russian officials pledged to investigate the cause of the rough landing. The crew members on board—Peggy A. Whitson, Yuri I. Malenchenko, and So-yeon Yi—did not report any injuries from the incident. The three crew members were returning to Earth after completing Expedition 16 to the ISS. Yi, South Korea’s first astronaut, had been aboard the ISS for 10 days, conducting experiments. Whitson, an American astronaut, had served as the first female commander of the ISS. During this mission, she had set the record for the most cumulative time an American had spent in space. Malenchenko, a Russian cosmonaut, had been Flight Engineer for Expedition 16. During the busy mission, lasting six months, crew members had conducted a wide variety of scientific experiments. During seven spacewalks, they had attached new modules to the ISS, repaired damages to the station, and received three visits from the Shuttle and one visit from ESA’s unpiloted cargo ship Jules Verne.
Spacewarn Bulletin, no. 654; Tariq Malik, “Space Station Astronauts Land Off-Target, But Safely,” Space.com, 19 April 2008, http://www.space.com/5262-space-station-astronauts-land-target-safely.html (accessed 3 March 2011); NASA, “Expedition 16 Soyuz Lands Safely in Kazakhstan,” news release 08-105, 19 April 2008, http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2008/apr/HQ_08105_Exp_16_lands.html (accessed 17 February 2011).
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