--- title: Russian Cosmonauts, American Astronaut Return to Earth description: One American astronaut and two Russian cosmonauts returned to Earth after more six months in orbit canonical: https://time.com/19472/space-trio-return-to-earth-after-166-days-in-orbit/ author: David Stout article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2014-03-11T06:08:05.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-02-21T06:41:42.144Z article:section: Science og:title: Russian Cosmonauts, American Astronaut Return to Earth og:description: One American astronaut and two Russian cosmonauts returned to Earth after more six months in orbit og:url: https://time.com/19472/space-trio-return-to-earth-after-166-days-in-orbit/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt7e5e359332c006d6/698684dd3bc99905c91a244e/astronauts.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1500 og:image:height: 844 og:image:alt: RUSSIA-USA-ISS-SPACE og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Russian Cosmonauts, American Astronaut Return to Earth twitter:description: One American astronaut and two Russian cosmonauts returned to Earth after more six months in orbit twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt7e5e359332c006d6/698684dd3bc99905c91a244e/astronauts.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Space Trio Return to Earth After 166 Days in Orbit > Sponsored content. 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It reaches 40,000 subscribers with a 34.2% open rate and a 2.1% click rate as of August 2026. #### Where can I follow the energy transition as a business story? Future Proof covers climate and energy as an economic and business story rather than only an environmental one. It publishes every Friday and is free at time.com/newsletters. #### Who writes Future Proof? Justin Worland, a senior correspondent at TIME and an award-winning climate journalist, writes Future Proof. #### Is Future Proof free? Yes. Future Proof is free at time.com/newsletters. by [David Stout](https://time.com/author/david-stout/) ## David Stout Mar 11, 2014 6:08 AM UTC  US astronaut Michael Hopkins (L) together with Russian cosmonauts, Oleg Kotov (C) and Sergey Ryazanskiy, prepare to answer questions during their final preflight exam at the Gagarin Cosmonauts' Training Centre in Star City centre outside Moscow on September 4, 2013. US astronaut Michael Hopkins (L) together with Russian cosmonauts, Oleg Kotov (C) and Sergey Ryazanskiy, prepare to answer questions during their final preflight exam at the Gagarin Cosmonauts' Training Centre in Star City centre outside Moscow on September 4, 2013. AFP/Getty Images by [David Stout](https://time.com/author/david-stout/) ## David Stout Mar 11, 2014 6:08 AM UTC An American astronaut and two Russian cosmonauts [landed on solid ground](http://news.yahoo.com/american-two-russians-back-earth-half-space-043127070.html;%5Fylt=AwrBEiJBkh5T0hIANqTQtDMD) on Tuesday after spending more than half a year in orbit at the International Space Station. The trio made landfall while onboard a Soyuz capsule near Dzhezkazgan in Kazakhstan. All three were reportedly in good health and are set to undergo medical checkups before flying out. “One of the great things about leaving home is coming home,” said U.S. astronaut Mike Hopkins during a NASA interview while in orbit, according to [CBS](http://www.cbsnews.com/news/astronauts-return-from-space-station-could-be-delayed-by-weather/). “Being reunited with my family, I think, is going to be absolutely wonderful.” \[[AFP](http://news.yahoo.com/american-two-russians-back-earth-half-space-043127070.html;%5Fylt=AwrBEiJBkh5T0hIANqTQtDMD)\] ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/19472/space-trio-return-to-earth-after-166-days-in-orbit/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/19472/space-trio-return-to-earth-after-166-days-in-orbit/"},"headline":"Space Trio Return to Earth After 166 Days in Orbit","datePublished":"2014-03-11T06:08:05.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-21T06:41:42.144Z","description":"The group was all in good health after landing","url":"https://time.com/19472/space-trio-return-to-earth-after-166-days-in-orbit/","keywords":["Space","russia","NASA","Kazakhstan","orbit","international space station","Astronaut","USA"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt7e5e359332c006d6/698684dd3bc99905c91a244e/astronauts.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"David Stout","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/david-stout/"}],"articleSection":"Science","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt7e5e359332c006d6/698684dd3bc99905c91a244e/astronauts.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"RUSSIA-USA-ISS-SPACE","caption":"RUSSIA-USA-ISS-SPACE","creditText":"AFP/Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/science/","name":"Science"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/space/","name":"Space"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/19472/space-trio-return-to-earth-after-166-days-in-orbit/","name":"Space Trio Return to Earth After 166 Days in Orbit"}}]}] ```