SPACE WIRE
"Dream landing" for Russia's Soyuz space crew
ARKALYK, Kazakhstan (AFP) Oct 28, 2003
A Russian Soyuz vessel carrying three astronauts made a "dream landing" in Kazakhstan's desert Tuesday, more than three hours after leaving the International Space Station, space officials said.

"It was a dream landing," NASA spokesman Rob Navias said after the capsule carrying US astronaut Edward Lu, Russia's Yuri Malenchenko and Spain's Pedro Duque touched down.

The Soyuz TMA-2 craft landed on schedule at 05:41 am Moscow time, in a secluded spot some 35 kilometers (21 miles) south of the town of Arkalyk, said the head of Russia's space search and rescue agency, General Vladimir Popov. The vessel had undocked from the space station at 2:17 am (2317 GMT Monday).

"The cosmonauts feel fine. Pedro Duque was only sorry that his trip was so short," Popov said.

Duque, the first Spaniard to board the ISS, heartily agreed as he drank mineral water and munched on a huge apple, while Russia's Malenchenko opted for tea.

Malachenko and Lu, who had spent six months in space, appeared pale and tired and required assistance in walking, whereas Duque, with just eight days aboard the ISS, appeared in good shape.

"The landing was so smooth, almost like it was in simulation," Duque said in Russian.

"It is great to be back home," said Lu, before the three astronauts were hustled off to a mobile hospital for tests.

Malachenko noted that "a space flight is never easy, but this time there were no major problems."

A Russian space official said the cosmonauts had landed seven kilometres (four miles) from the target area but did not elaborate.

The celebrations were put momentarily on hold as heavy fog and a blizzard above Kazakhstan's capital Astana forced all of the rescue party's 11 helicopters to land in Arkalyk, creating a four-hour delay in the arrival at Astana.

Doctors said the three astronauts felt fine and needed no more medical attention than had been provided on the ground.

"The cosmonauts are in a good state and do not require any additional medical procedures," said Nikolai Filatov of Russia's cosmonaut training center.

The astronauts were due later to leave for Chkalovsky airport near Moscow where Malachenko's wife -- whom he married via a radio link while in space -- and Lu's fiancee were waiting for them.

A Russian space official said the mission had been marred by a glitch when an astronaut mistakenly pressing two buttons at the same time, pushing the space platform out of its normal orientation, but that the ISS team had not been informed.

The error was righted by drawing on rocket fuel reserves, and it was decided not to inform the astronauts until they had safely returned in order not to worry them, Valery Ryumin of the Energuia company said.

Amid heightened security following last May's mission when the landing capsule landed nearly 500 kilometers (300 miles) off-target, doctors from the United States and Spain were present at the site while 12 helicopters and three airplanes patrolled the skies.

It was the first space mission for a European astronaut aboard the ISS since the US Columbia shuttle disaster in February, and the presence of Spaniard Duque on the flight was seen as a boost for the European space program.

During his 10-day mission Duque carried a series of experiments in the fields of life and physical sciences, Earth observation, education and technology.

Malenchenko and Lu were replaced by British-born American Michael Foale and Russian Alexander Kaleri, who will stay on board the ISS until April 2004.

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