ISS crew returned

Kostanai, 25 October 2008, (Khabar) - A Soyuz TMA-12 capsule carrying an
American space tourist Richard Garriott and two Russians Sergei Volkov and
Oleg Kononenko touched down on target in Kazakhstan on Friday in Arkalyk.
The Soyuz TMA-12 capsule landed at 9:37 a.m. local time, about 55 miles
north of Arkalyk in north-central Kazakhstan. The specialists say the
landing was almost ideal one. That was 17th long-term expedition to the
International Space Station (ISS). The next year the crew of station will
enlarge up to 6 people. 4 piloted ships will be launched from Baikonur
instead of two ships. The crew worked on expanded scientific program and
took part in final operations on ISS construction. The uneventful descent
was a relief for space officials - and the crew - after "ballistic
re-entries" put the last two crews returning from the station hundreds of
miles off course and subjected them to stronger gravitational force than
usual. The separation of the modules of the Soyuz before it entered the
atmosphere went without a hitch, avoiding a ballistic re-entry. Russian
space officials said changes had been made to equipment and computer
programming to prevent the problem from happening again.
Sergei Volkov, cosmonaut:
- I think expedition was a success. We managed to over pass all the
difficult situations, breakings. And we had our first space walk on removing
of bolt because of which there were two previous ballistic re-entries.

3 airplanes, and 12 helicopters of Mi-8 and 6 search and rescuing
automobiles searched for cosmonauts and took them to the station. After
coming out of capsule Richard Garriott could walk by himself but Sergei
Volkov and Oleg Kononenko needed some assistance. Nevertheless, specialists
say the health of cosmonauts is normal.
Representatives of two space dynasties met in ISS board for the first time.
Sergei Volkov, comamnder of crew, and he is son of Soviet cosmonaut
Alexander Volkov who flew to space together with Kazakh Tokhtar Aubakirov.
Richard Garriott, the 6th space tourist, is a muti millionaire. His father
Owen Garriott, a retired NASA astronaut who flew on a the U.S. space station
Skylab in 1973.

Owen Garriott, NASA astronaut:
- At fist I was surprised with idea of son to try himself as an astronaut.
But then I realized he just decided to challenge himself and I approved his
idea.

Junior Garriott has already visited Antarctica, dived to sunken "Titanik"
and even purchased Soviet Moon research vehicle "Lunokhod". He says space
flight was his lifelong dream. He paid $30 millions for 11 days in space.
But being the real businessman he decided to return his money. And he took
orders for pictures from space. And being on the board of ISS, he made 200
photos and each photo will cost $500.

Richard Garriott, astronaut:
- First of all I was impressed with looks of Earth from space. But I not
only admired with beauties I also carried out mission as a crew member. Many
thanks to my colleagues and all services due to whom our flight was a
success and we experienced soft landing.

The crew has been taken to Kostanai. Then they will go to Astana and then to
Star City to have rehabilitation course.