Photos: Space Station's Expedition 32 Crew Lands on Earth

Space Commander Back on Earth: Expedition 32

Russian cosmonaut Gennady Padalka, commander of Expedition 32 to the International Space Station, enjoys a hot tea and fresh air after landing in Kazakhstan to end a four-month mission to the space station. Padalka landed with two crewmates aboard a Soyuz that set down on Sept. 16, 2012 EDT on the Kazakh steppes.

Expedition 32 Landing: Sergei Revin

Russian cosmonaut Sergei Revin smiles on the steppes of Kazakhstan in Central Asia, where he and two Expedition 32 crewmates landed their Soyuz TMA-04M spacecraft to end a 4-month spaceflight on Sept. 16, 2012 EDT (Sept. 17 local time).

Expedition 32 Commander Signs Spaceship

Russian cosmonaut Gennady Padalka, Expedition 32 commander, signs the Soyuz TMA-04M spacecraft used to land his three-man crew on the steppes of Kazakhstan on Sept. 16, 2012 EDT (Sept. 17 local time).

Space Station's Exp.32 Crew: Landing Prep

Russian cosmonaut Gennady Padalka (center), Expedition 32 commander; along with NASA astronaut Joe Acaba (left) and Russian cosmonaut Sergei Revin, both flight engineers, attired in Russian Sokol launch and entry suits, conduct a standard suit leak check in the Soyuz 30 (TMA-04M) spacecraft in preparation for their return to Earth scheduled for Sept. 16, 2012.

Astronaut Sunita Williams Takes ISS Command

NASA astronaut Sunita Williams (front left) takes command of the International Space Station from cosmonaut Gennady Padalka (front right) during a ceremony marking the start of the Expedition 33 increment aboard the space station on Sept. 15, 2012.

Expedition 32 Crew Says Farewells

Space station Expedition 33 commander Sunita Williams (facing camera) hugs outgoing Expedition 32 commander Gennady Padalka during a farewell ceremony on Sunday, Sept. 16, 2012, before Padalka and two crewmates returned to Earth after five months in space.

Soyuz TMA-04M: Expedition 32 Crew's Ride Home

The Soyuz TMA-04M spacecraft that returned three Expedition 32 crewmembers home from the International Space Station on Sept. 16, 2012 EDT, is shown in this view from exterior cameras on the station.

Expedition 32 Soyuz Landing Explained

This NASA graphic depicts how the Soyuz spacecraft carrying returning Expedition 32 crewmembers Gennady Padalka (commander) and flight engineers Sergei Revin and Joe Acaba will land during its return to Earth on Sept. 16. 2012.

Expedition 32 Landing Crew

This NASA TV graphic shows the Expedition 32 crewmembers returning to Earth on the Soyuz TMA-04M spacecraft on Sept. 16, 2012. They are (from left): NASA astronaut Joe Acaba, Russian cosmonaut Gennady Padalka, and cosmonaut Sergei Revin.