Soyuz Landing Photos: 31st Space Station Crew Returns to Earth

Soyuz on Earth

ESA–S. Corvaja, 2012

Soyuz spacecraft after landing taken from a recovery helicopter circling the touchdown zone in Kazakhstan, on Sunday July 1, 2012.

Expedition 31: Seconds Before Landing

NASA/Bill Ingalls

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.

Space Station Crew Caravan: Expedition 31

NASA/Bill Ingalls

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

Expedition 31: Soyuz Spacecraft Touchdown!

NASA/Bill Ingalls

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.

Expedition 31: Soyuz Gumdrop in the Clouds

NASA/Bill Ingalls

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

Expedition 31 Crew Landing: @Astro_Andre

ESA–S. Corvaja, 2012

ESA astronaut André Kuipers shortly after returning to Earth on Sunday July 1, 2012.

Expedition 31 Crew Returns to Earth

NASA TV

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.

Soyuz Chute Dust Cloud

ESA–S. Corvaja, 2012

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.

Expedition 31 Lands: Mission Control View

NASA TV

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.

Touchdown! Soyuz Lands with Expedition 31 Crew

NASA TV

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.

Expedition 31: Soyuz Capsule Descends to Earth

NASA TV

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.

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