Soyuz capsule lands safely with record-setting crew

A Soyuz capsule successfully landed in Kazakhstan, carrying two Russian cosmonauts and one American astronaut from the International Space Station (ISS). The landing marked the end of a record-breaking mission for the Russian pair, Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub, who spent 374 days in space - the longest continuous stay on the ISS to date.

Kononenko, 60, also set a new record for the longest cumulative time in space, surpassing three years with a total of 1,111 days across five missions. American astronaut Tracy Dyson, who had been on the station since March, returned with them after a six-month stay.

The capsule touched down on the Kazakh steppe about 3.5 hours after undocking from the ISS, with the final descent slowed by parachutes and small rockets cushioning the landing. The crew was immediately attended to by medical staff upon extraction from the capsule.

Eight astronauts remain aboard the ISS, including Americans Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, whose return has been delayed due to issues with Boeing's Starliner capsule. NASA deemed it too risky to return them on the Starliner, and they are now scheduled to return via SpaceX next year.

This mission highlights the ongoing collaboration between the United States and Russia in space exploration, despite tensions over Ukraine. The ISS continues to serve as a platform for international cooperation, with astronauts from various countries working together in low Earth orbit.

However, Russia has announced plans to eventually withdraw from the ISS project, citing the station's age, and aims to launch its own independent space station. Roscosmos, Russia's space agency, is also seeking new partnerships with countries in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.

The absolute record for the longest uninterrupted time in space still belongs to Russian cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov, who spent 438 days on the Mir space station in 1994-95.