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CNN Sunday Morning
Soyuz Capsule Completes Return to Earth With Bumpy Landing
Aired May 04, 2003 - 08:32 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ROBIN MEADE, CNN ANCHOR: Two U.S. astronauts and one Russian cosmonaut completed their return to Earth with a bumpy landing, more than 285 miles off target that took nearly four and a half hours for rescue teams to reach that trio.
Miles O'Brien has more now on the mission.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): One hundred and sixty-two days after they left earth, atmosphere and the pull of gravity behind, the six crew of the International Space Station came back, but nowhere near where or when planned. The Russian Soyuz rocket they rode back to earth landed 285 miles short of its intended target. It took an armada of Russian aircraft more than two and a half hours to find capsule and crew safe and sound.
KEN BOWERSOX, EXPEDITION SIX COMMANDER: I'm going to miss flying as I do my work -- floating from space -- place to place here in the station. I'm going to miss the food and I'm going to miss the spectacular views. You just can't beat looking out the window and seeing our planet. We live on the most beautiful place probably in the universe.
O'BRIEN: Ken Bowersox and Don Petit became the first NASA astronauts to return to earth on board a Russian Soyuz. A record they would gladly had passed on if they'd had a choice. The Expedition Six crew missed their shuttle ride home when NASA grounded the fleet after the Columbia accident. Until they fly again, NASA is relying on Russia to launch crews of two to re-staff the station every six months.
ED LU, EXPEDITION SEVEN ASTRONAUT: The Soyuz ride was great. It was quite an experience. It's much smaller than the shuttle, of course, but it's a lot more maneuverable. It's more like a sports car as compared to the Shuttle which is sort of like a big old station wagon, but it was -- the docking went smoothly and things are going great so far. These guys are showing us around. We're learning about the space station, all of that the things they never teach you in training and we're having a good time so far. We're looking forward to the next six months.
O'BRIEN: The new station crew, NASA astronaut, Ed Lu and Russian cosmonaut Yuri Melenchenko, launched into orbit last Friday where a launch pad where human space travel began 42 years ago. Instead of building they will be tending -- keeping the lights on and the dream alive.
The exiting science officer, Don Petit was glad to see the station wasn't being abandoned despite a mere 11 hours of science that would be conducted on board each week.
DON PETIT, EXPEDITION SIX COMMANDER: I think one of the key things about the Space Station's International program is having many, many international partners all working together and keeping the human presence in space and that is probably more important than the absolute magnitude of the amount of science you get done.
O'BRIEN: For NASA, the safe return of the Expedition Six crew is a big relief. Particularly after the delay in finding the capsule -- finding out what caused it to land so far off course will be crucial before another Soyuz can safely fly.
Miles O'Brien, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Landing>
Aired May 4, 2003 - 08:32 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ROBIN MEADE, CNN ANCHOR: Two U.S. astronauts and one Russian cosmonaut completed their return to Earth with a bumpy landing, more than 285 miles off target that took nearly four and a half hours for rescue teams to reach that trio.
Miles O'Brien has more now on the mission.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): One hundred and sixty-two days after they left earth, atmosphere and the pull of gravity behind, the six crew of the International Space Station came back, but nowhere near where or when planned. The Russian Soyuz rocket they rode back to earth landed 285 miles short of its intended target. It took an armada of Russian aircraft more than two and a half hours to find capsule and crew safe and sound.
KEN BOWERSOX, EXPEDITION SIX COMMANDER: I'm going to miss flying as I do my work -- floating from space -- place to place here in the station. I'm going to miss the food and I'm going to miss the spectacular views. You just can't beat looking out the window and seeing our planet. We live on the most beautiful place probably in the universe.
O'BRIEN: Ken Bowersox and Don Petit became the first NASA astronauts to return to earth on board a Russian Soyuz. A record they would gladly had passed on if they'd had a choice. The Expedition Six crew missed their shuttle ride home when NASA grounded the fleet after the Columbia accident. Until they fly again, NASA is relying on Russia to launch crews of two to re-staff the station every six months.
ED LU, EXPEDITION SEVEN ASTRONAUT: The Soyuz ride was great. It was quite an experience. It's much smaller than the shuttle, of course, but it's a lot more maneuverable. It's more like a sports car as compared to the Shuttle which is sort of like a big old station wagon, but it was -- the docking went smoothly and things are going great so far. These guys are showing us around. We're learning about the space station, all of that the things they never teach you in training and we're having a good time so far. We're looking forward to the next six months.
O'BRIEN: The new station crew, NASA astronaut, Ed Lu and Russian cosmonaut Yuri Melenchenko, launched into orbit last Friday where a launch pad where human space travel began 42 years ago. Instead of building they will be tending -- keeping the lights on and the dream alive.
The exiting science officer, Don Petit was glad to see the station wasn't being abandoned despite a mere 11 hours of science that would be conducted on board each week.
DON PETIT, EXPEDITION SIX COMMANDER: I think one of the key things about the Space Station's International program is having many, many international partners all working together and keeping the human presence in space and that is probably more important than the absolute magnitude of the amount of science you get done.
O'BRIEN: For NASA, the safe return of the Expedition Six crew is a big relief. Particularly after the delay in finding the capsule -- finding out what caused it to land so far off course will be crucial before another Soyuz can safely fly.
Miles O'Brien, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Landing>
