[sarex] *Expedition 8 Returns to Earth-S04-23

[Arthur Z Rowe <n1orc@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Submitted by Arthur - N1ORC - Amsat #31468

*Expedition 8 Returns to Earth 
</spacenews/reports/issreports/2004/iss04-23.html>*
Expedition 8 Commander and NASA ISS Science Officer Michael Foale and 
Flight Engineer Alexander Kaleri returned to Earth on Thursday after 
spending six months at the International Space Station. Their ISS Soyuz 
7 spacecraft landed at 7:12 p.m. CDT Thursday (0012 GMT Friday) in 
Kazakhstan, about 43 miles (70 kilometers) northwest of the town of 
Arkalyk. The Soyuz undocked from the ISS earlier in the day at 3:52 p.m. 
CDT (2052 GMT).

Returning to Earth with Expedition 8 was European Space Agency (ESA) 
Astronaut André Kuipers of the Netherlands, who flew to the ISS with the 
Expedition 9 crew under a commercial agreement between ESA and the 
Federal Space Agency of Russia. He spent his nine days at the Station 
conducting science experiments for ESA.

The trio will now undergo medical evaluations and be transported to Star 
City, Russia, where Foale and Kaleri will spend the next few weeks 
rehabilitating after their long space flight.

Expedition 8 launched from Biakonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Oct. 18 
and arrived at the Station on Oct. 20. They spent 194 days, 18 hours and 
35 minutes in space.

Foale became the U.S. record holder 
<http://www.nasa.gov/vision/space/livinginspace/Foale-Record.html> for 
most cumulative time in space at 12:47 p.m. CST Dec. 8, 2003, when he 
surpassed Astronaut Carl Walz. With the conclusion of Expedition 8, 
Foale has amassed 374 days, 11 hours and 19 minutes in space. Walz has 
230 days, 13 hours, 3 minutes and 37 seconds.

Kaleri is now fifth on the all-time space endurance list with 611 days. 
Russian Cosmonaut Sergei Avdeyev, holds the all-time record for time 
spent in space, with 748 days accumulated on three flights.

In space, Expedition 9 Commander Gennady Padalka and NASA ISS Science 
Officer Mike Fincke are in the first few hours of their solo tour of 
duty as the resident crew of the Station. They will spend the next 5½ 
months conducting science experiments, performing spacewalks and 
maintaining Station operations. They officially took command of the ISS 
at 12:47 p.m. CDT (1747 GMT) Thursday when the hatches between the 
Station and Soyuz were closed.



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