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Sunday October 21, 2007

Angkasawan safely back on Earth (updated)


MOSCOW: The Soyuz TMA-10 craft landed safely in Kazakhstan at 6.37pm Malaysian time.

The Soyuz was carrying Angkasawan Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor and Russians - Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin and flight engineer Oleg Kotov.

According to AP, the Soyuz craft veered off its designated course while heading for its landing in the steppes of Kazakhstan.

Russian search and rescue teams quickly located the craft, which landed just under 340km west of the designated landing site near Arkalyk, Kazakhstan, Nasa reported on its website.

It said all the three crew members were feeling fine.

The spacecraft's descent deviated from the intended path apparently due to a computer glitch, and the crew were subjected to higher than normal gravity load on their descent, Russia's Mission Control spokesman Valery Lyndin said.

Yurchikhin and Kotov were returning home after a six-month stint at the international space station. While Dr Sheikh Muszaphar had been at the orbital outpost since Oct 12.

Earlier story:
Soyuz undocks from ISS for return to Earth

More stories:
http://sites.thestar.com.my/angkasawan/

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