Russian Soyuz capsule's crew return to Earth

A Russian Soyuz capsule has returned to Earth with its three-man crew after they spent 123 days at the International Space Station.

17 September 2012, 12:00am

1 min read

The Soyuz capsule on landing.

Two Russians, Gennady Padalka and Sergei Revin, and their American colleague Joe Acaba have made a safe return in Kazakhstan this morning.

Another crew of three who took off in May still remain on the International Space Station.

Next month, another three are due to take off from Kazakhstan to join them.

The capsule landed at 08:53 local time (02:53 GMT) and all three crew members "are safe and adjusting to gravity," according to the Twitter feed of the US space programme Nasa.

"I feel great," Padalka told attending recovery staff.

The Soyuz craft is the only means for astronauts to reach the International Space Station since the US shuttle fleet was retired last year.