American, German, Russian astronauts return to Earth after six months in space

A three-man multinational crew returned to Earth Monday aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft, after spending 165 days working together at the International Space Station. They were Russia’s Maxim Surayev, space station commander, American Reid Wiseman and German Alexander Gerst. Surayev flashed a V for victory sign while Wiseman pumped his fist as they waited to regain their land legs after nearly half a year of weightlessness.

Everything was in the spirit of cooperation, so I think that everybody needs to learn and follow the example of the ISS crew members.

Maxim Surayev, ISS commander

While in space, the crew traveled more than 181.4 million miles, NASA said. The “bulls-eye” touchdown was executed amid low clouds and fog “following a flawless descent back into the atmosphere.” Another three-person crew remains at the space station and will be joined by three more astronauts who launch from Kazakhstan on Nov. 23.

Science ISS