Two Russian cosmonauts return from ISS

ALMATY, Kazakhstan: Two Russian cosmonauts and a Nasa astronaut touched down on Saturday on the steppe of Kazakhstan following a half-year mission on the International Space Station, footage broadcast by the Russian space agency showed.

Russia’s Sergei Ryzhikov and Sergei Kud-Sverchkov as well as Nasa’s Kate Rubins landed on barren land at 0455 GMT around 150 kilometres (90 miles) southeast of the town of Zhezkazgan.

The Soyuz descent module carring the trio landed upright after descending through a cloudless sky on a fine spring day in central Kazakhstan, a Roscosmos TV commentator confirmed.