Soyuz spacecraft after landing taken from a recovery helicopter circling the touchdown zone in Kazakhstan, on Sunday July 1, 2012.
The Soyuz TMA-03M spacecraft is seen as it lands with Expedition 31 Commander Oleg Kononenko of Russia and Flight Engineers Don Pettit of NASA and Andre Kuipers of the European Space Agency in a remote area near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan, on Sunday, July 1, 2012.
Support and medical personnel carry Expedition 31 Commander Oleg Kononenko of Russia, foreground, and Flight Engineers Andre Kuipers of the European Space Agency, center, and Don Pettit of NASA, background, to the medical tent shortly after they landed in their Soyuz TMA-03M capsule in a remote area near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan, on Sunday, July 1, 2012
The Soyuz TMA-03M spacecraft is seen as it lands with Expedition 31 Commander Oleg Kononenko of Russia and Flight Engineers Don Pettit of NASA and Andre Kuipers of the European Space Agency in a remote area near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan, on Sunday, July 1, 2012.
The Soyuz TMA-03M spacecraft is seen amid the clouds as it lands with Expedition 31 Commander Oleg Kononenko of Russia and Flight Engineers Don Pettit of NASA and Andre Kuipers of the European Space Agency in a remote area near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kaz
ESA astronaut André Kuipers shortly after returning to Earth on Sunday July 1, 2012.
The Soyuz TMA-03M space capsule that returned to Earth on July 1, 2012 with three astronauts from the International Space Station is shown in this NASA TV still image. The Russian Soyuz TMA-03M landed in the steppes of Kazakhstan in Central Asia to end the Expedition 31 mission.
The Soyuz TMA-03M capsule with astronauts Don Pettit, Oleg Kononenko and ESA astronaut André Kuipers touchdown on Sunday July 1, 2012 at 08:14 GMT.
The view from Russia's Mission Control Center outside Moscow just after a Soyuz TMA-03M spacecraft landed in Kazakhstan on July 1, 2012, returning three Expedition 31 crewmembers to Earth from the International Space Station. The words on the the main screen read: "They've Landed!" in Russian.
A Soyuz TMA-03M space capsule makes a pinpoint landing on July 1, 2012, to return three members of the Expedition 31 astronaut crew home from the International Space Station. The capsule landed on the steppes of Kazakhstan in Central Asia.
The Russian Soyuz TMA-03M space capsule descends to Earth under its main parachute to return three Expedition 31 astronauts home from the International Space Station on July 1, 2012. The capsule was landing in southeast Kazakstan in Central Asia.
The Russian Soyuz TMA-03M space capsule descends to Earth under its main parachute to return three Expedition 31 astronauts home from the International Space Station on July 1, 2012. The capsule was landing in southeast Kazakstan in Central Asia.
Expedition 31 commander Oleg Kononenko (center) sits after landing in the Soyuz TMA-03M space capsule behind him as recovery crews work to extract his two crewmates from the spacecraft on July 1, 2012. The capsule landed on the steppes of Kazakhstan after a long-duration mission to the International Space Station.
The Russian Soyuz TMA-03M space capsule backs away from the International Space Station after undocking to return three members of the Expedition 31 crew to Earth on July 1, 2012, in this still from a NASA broadcast.
This NASA graphic depicts the landing zone for the Russian Soyuz TMA-03M returning three Expedition 31 astronauts home from the International Space Station on July 1, 2012.
The Russian Soyuz TMA-03M space capsule backs away from the International Space Station after undocking to return three members of the Expedition 31 crew to Earth on July 1, 2012, in this still from a NASA broadcast.
Expedition 31 commander Oleg Kononenko of Russia (top), Dutch astronaut Andrew Kuipers (center) and NASA astronaut Don Pettit bid farewell to their crewmates on the International Space Station just before shutting the hatches between their Soyuz and the station for a July 1, 2012, return to Earth.
The Russian Soyuz TMA-03M space capsule backs away from the International Space Station after undocking to return three members of the Expedition 31 crew to Earth on July 1, 2012, in this still from a NASA broadcast.
This display shows the International Space Station as it appears in a display aboard the Russian Soyuz TMA-03M space capsule just after undocking on July 1, 2012. The Soyuz undocked to return three Expedition 31 crewmembers to Earth.
Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko (center), along with NASA astronaut Don Pettit (left) and European Space Agency astronaut Andre Kuipers, both flight engineers, conducted a spacesuit leak check in their Russian Soyuz TMA-03M spacecraft to prepare for their return to Earth on July 1, 2012.
The Russian Soyuz TMA-03M space capsule backs away from the International Space Station after undocking to return three members of the Expedition 31 crew to Earth on July 1, 2012, in this still from a NASA broadcast. The Earth provides a spectacular backdrop.
The Russian Soyuz TMA-03M space capsule appears small in the distance after undocking from the International Space Station on July 1, 2012, in this camera view from the outpost's exterior. Here, the Soyuz is just about to slip behind the space station's Cupola observation deck (windows closed) in the foreground.
The white clouds of Earth set the scene for the Russian Soyuz TMA-03M space capsule departure from the International Space Station after undocking to return three members of the Expedition 31 crew to Earth on July 1, 2012, in this still from a NASA broadcast.
The Soyuz TMA-03M spacecraft is seen with Expedition 31 Commander Oleg Kononenko of Russia and Flight Engineers Don Pettit of NASA and Andre Kuipers of the European Space Agency still onboard shortly after it landed in a remote area near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan. The image was taken when it landed on July 1, 2012.
Russian Search and Rescue crews attach ladders and a slide for access to the Soyuz TMA-03M capsule shortly after it landed with Expedition 31 Commander Oleg Kononenko of Russia and Flight Engineers Don Pettit of NASA and Andre Kuipers of the European Space Agency in a remote area near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan, on Sunday, July 1, 2012.
Support and medical personnel assist Expedition 31 Flight Engineer Don Pettit of NASA out of the Soyuz TMA-03M capsule shortly after he and Expedition 31 Commander Oleg Kononenko of Russia, and Flight Engineers Andre Kuipers of the European Space Agency landed in a remote area near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan, on Sunday, July 1, 2012.
Expedition 31 Commander Oleg Kononenko of Russia is carried by support personal from the Soyuz TMA-03M capsule to a chair shortly after he and Flight Engineers Don Pettit of NASA and Andre Kuipers of the European Space Agency landed in a remote area near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan, on Sunday, July 1, 2012.
Expedition 31 Flight Engineer Andre Kuipers of the European Space Agency is carried by support personal from the Soyuz TMA-03M capsule to a chair shortly after he and Expedition 31 crew members landed near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan, on Sunday, July 1, 2012.
