NASA Astronaut Loral O'Hara Returns Home to Earth

NASA・2 minutes read

Crew members Novitskiy, O'Hara, and Vasilevskaya safely returned from the International Space Station after a successful mission, with a smooth landing and extraction process completed. The crew's return highlights the ongoing success of the International Space Station, emphasizing international cooperation and setting standards for future space exploration.

Insights

Novitskiy, O'Hara, and Vasilevskaya successfully completed a 14-day mission on the International Space Station, traveling 5.9 million miles and undergoing a descent process involving chutes deploying at specific altitudes before touchdown.
The crew's return involved a carefully orchestrated landing sequence, including a 4:41 retrograde burn, automatic separation of the Soyuz vehicle, and landing approximately 91 miles south of Dzhezkazgan, with Novitskiy receiving instructions from the Russian flight control team in Korolev.
The crew's extraction process after landing involved medical exams, changing into comfortable clothing, and boarding helicopters for separate journeys back to Houston and Star City, Russia, highlighting the international collaboration and coordination in space exploration.

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Recent questions

What is the purpose of the International Space Station?
The International Space Station serves as a platform for scientific research and international cooperation in space exploration.
How do astronauts return to Earth from the International Space Station?
Astronauts return to Earth from the International Space Station by boarding a Soyuz spacecraft, which undergoes a series of maneuvers to safely land back on Earth.
What are the roles of the crew members on the International Space Station?
Crew members on the International Space Station are responsible for conducting scientific experiments, maintaining the station, and collaborating with international partners.
How does the Soyuz spacecraft land back on Earth?
The Soyuz spacecraft lands back on Earth by descending under parachutes, with the crew experiencing high G-loads before touchdown.
What is the significance of international cooperation in space exploration?
International cooperation in space exploration fosters collaboration among countries, advances scientific knowledge, and sets standards for future missions.

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Summary

00:00

Crew Returns from Space Station Mission

The Flight Controllers in Houston are preparing for the return of three crew members from the International Space Station, including Loral O'Hara, Oleg Novitskiy, and Marina Vasilevskaya.
Vasilevskaya and O'Hara are concluding a two-week mission on the International Space Station.
Novitskiy and Vasilevskaya spent 14 days in space, 12 of which were aboard the space station, completing 224 orbits of the Earth and traveling 5.9 million statute miles.
The crew members said goodbye to their colleagues and departed through the Rassvet port, beginning their journey home.
The Soyuz engines will ignite for a 4:41 retrograde burn to drop out of orbit, followed by an automatic pyrotechnic separation of the Soyuz vehicle.
The crew will experience maximum G-loads of about four to five Gs during descent, with chutes deploying at specific altitudes before touchdown.
The landing site is approximately 91 miles south of Dzhezkazgan, where the crew will undergo preliminary medical exams and change into comfortable clothing before boarding helicopters for Kazakhstan.
Novitskiy, as the commander, will receive instructions from the Russian flight control team in Korolev as they begin to feel the pull of gravity.
The deorbit burn was successfully completed, and the next step will be the separation of the three modules of the Soyuz spacecraft.
The Expedition 71 crew on the International Space Station will monitor the landing and have an off-duty weekend planned, with future activities including a Russian spacewalk and the return of science equipment.

32:10

Russian Soyuz Descent and Landing Details

The Russian Mi-8 helicopters, six in total, are en route to the landing zone, where they will form a circular flying pattern around the landing site along with an Antonov aircraft serving as the command center.
Novitskiy has chosen his call sign for the Soyuz descent and landing, aiming to maintain communication during the descent back into Earth's atmosphere.
The touchdown is expected to occur at 2:17:36 AM Central Time, 3:17:36 AM Eastern Time, and 12:17 PM at the landing site in Kazakhstan, 3 miles southeast of the town of Dzhezkazgan, with favorable weather conditions.
The Russian ballistics experts have forecasted the touchdown coordinates for the Soyuz spacecraft at a latitude of 47.24° North and a longitude of 69.39° East.
The Soyuz is in good condition, with all systems functioning well, and the module separation is scheduled to occur at an altitude of 87 miles above the Earth.
The Russian flight controllers have ground support teams and all-terrain vehicles ready for the Soyuz's return, with good visibility expected for landing.
The module separation of the Soyuz vehicle is planned to occur at an altitude of 87 miles above the Earth, with the descent module targeting the landing site southeast of Dzhezkazgan.
The Soyuz is expected to enter the Earth's atmosphere, experiencing peak heating in the plasma regime, with communication expected to be temporarily lost until the Soyuz emerges from this phase.
The main parachute of the Soyuz covers an area of about 1,000 meters, slowing the descent rate to 2.7 meters per second, with the harnesses allowing for a canted angle descent before transitioning to a vertical descent.
Visual confirmation from the search and recovery forces is awaited as the Soyuz descends under its parachute, with approximately 12.5 minutes remaining until touchdown.

01:06:22

Successful Soyuz Landing Marks ISS Mission Success

Video on the front screen of the Russian Mission Control Center shows the main chute of the Soyuz and white smoke from hydrogen peroxide and oxygen being vented.
Time to touchdown is 11:47, with a large orange and white chute fully reefed.
The Soyuz is descending under its chute, with the heat shield jettisoned and a radio beacon signal for tracking.
Ground forces are in place for extraction as the Soyuz descends, with helicopters landing nearby to check for toxic gases.
The crew is feeling good, with the Soyuz descending at its nominal rate.
The crew's seats will be upright for landing, with soft landing engines firing for a braking maneuver.
The Soyuz lands on its side, with the crew in good shape and extraction procedures beginning.
Loral O'Hara returns after 204 days in space, with Novitskiy and Vasilevskaya also safely back.
The landing occurred at 2:17 AM Central Time, with all undocking and landing events proceeding as planned.
The International Space Station's success is attributed to international cooperation and setting standards for collaboration in space exploration.

01:34:48

Moving Space Station Forward: Crew Extraction Success

Joel Montalbano sees his role as helping the team focus on moving the space station to the end of the decade.
The focus is on what needs to be done on board the space station to aid in the new role of establishing new stations in low Earth orbit.
The Space Station Directorate is involved in encouraging and directing the process of moving forward with space stations.
Joel Montalbano expresses gratitude for working with an awesome team and looks forward to contributing in the future.
The crew members from the Soyuz MS-24 are being extracted from the descent module at the landing site.
Crew members are placed in chairs near the capsule to regain their land legs before being taken to a nearby medical tent for exams and to change out of their entry suits.
Oleg Novitskiy, Loral O'Hara, and Marina Vasilevskaya are the three crew members being extracted from the Soyuz.
The crew members are swiftly extracted, with Marina Vasilevskaya being the last one out after spending 12 days aboard the International Space Station.
After extraction, the crew members enjoy fresh air and sunshine before undergoing medical tests and changing into more comfortable clothing.
The crew members will undergo further medical exams before being split up to board different helicopters for their respective journeys back to Houston and Moscow.

02:11:05

Astronauts return, solar eclipse event announced.

Crew members Oleg Novitskiy, Loral O'Hara, and Marina Vasilevskaya will be placed in separate helicopters after wearing launch and entry suits, with O'Hara flying to Houston on a NASA plane while Novitskiy and Vasilevskaya head back to their training base in Star City, Russia.
The upcoming astronomical event on April 8, 2024, will be a total solar eclipse, with coverage starting at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time in the United States. The event will involve the moon passing in front of the sun, causing darkness in certain areas of the country, with views of the moon's shadow on Earth from the International Space Station's external cameras during a specific time frame.

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