ROSCOSMOS - Soyuz TMA-13M Mission patch.
November 9, 2014
Image above: The Soyuz TMA-13M is seen intersecting Earth’s limb several minutes after undocking from the International Space Station. Credit: NASA TV.
After spending 165 days aboard the International Space Station, Reid Wiseman, Alexander Gerst and Maxim Suraev undocked from the station’s Rassvet module at 7:31 p.m. EST to begin their voyage home. Suraev, the Soyuz commander, is at the controls of the Soyuz TMA-13M spacecraft.
They will perform a separation burn to increase the distance from the station before executing a 4-minute, 41-second deorbit burn at 10:05 p.m. The crew is scheduled to land at 10:58 p.m. northeast of Arkalyk, Kazakhstan.
Expedition 41 Crew Heading Home
Video above: Expedition 41 Crew Successfully Departs the International Space Station and heads back to Earth. Video Credit: NASA TV.
The departure of Wiseman, Gerst and Suraev marks the end of Expedition 41. The Expedition 42 crew members, Commander Barry “Butch” Wilmore of NASA and Alexander Samokutyaev and Elena Serova of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) will continue research and maintenance aboard the station.
NASA Television will air live coverage of the Soyuz TMA-13M deorbit burn and landing beginning at 9:45 p.m.
Image above: The International Space Station is seen from the Soyuz TMA-13M spacecraft shortly after undocking at 7:31 p.m. EST Sunday. Credit: NASA TV.
Here is the timeline for the Expedition 41 landing:
EST EVENT
9:45 p.m. NASA TV: Expedition 41/Soyuz TMA-13M deorbit burn and landing coverage
10:05 p.m. Soyuz TMA-13M deorbit burn (4 minutes, 41 seconds duration)
10:09 p.m. Soyuz deorbit burn complete
10:32 p.m. Soyuz module separation (altitude 87 miles)
10:35 p.m. Soyuz atmospheric entry (altitude 62 miles)
10:44 p.m. Command to open parachute (6.6 miles)
10:58 p.m. Expedition 41/Soyuz TMA-13M landing northeast of Arkalyk, Kazakhstan
Watch live at http://www.nasa.gov/nasatv.
For more information about the International Space Station (ISS), visit: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html
Images (mentioned), Video (mentioned), Text, Credit: NASA.
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