MARCH 30, 2022:
UNDATED (AP)- A NASA astronaut is back on Earth after a yearlong, record-setting spaceflight. He caught a Russian ride from the International Space Station on Wednesday with two cosmonauts. Their Soyuz capsule parachuted into Kazakhstan, ending a 355-day mission for not only Mark Vande Hei but one of the Russians. Vande Hei beat NASA’s previous record for a single spaceflight by 15 days. Russia still holds the world record at 438 days. Despite escalating tensions between the U.S. and Russia over the invasion of Ukraine, NASA followed the customary procedures for Vande Hei’s return.
MARCH 14, 2022:
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — A U.S. astronaut has made it through nearly a year in space but faces what could be his trickiest assignment yet: riding a Russian capsule back to Earth. NASA insists Mark Vande Hei’s homecoming plans at the end of the month remain unchanged in the midst of deepening tensions between the countries. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has already resulted in canceled launches and broken contracts. Vande Hei on Tuesday will break the U.S. single spaceflight record of 340 days. By the time he returns March 30, 2022, he’ll have logged 355 days in orbit.
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