Russian rescuers get ready for ISS Expedition 22 return to Earth
MOSCOW. March 18. KAZINFORM Six rescue vehicles and 15 aircraft will take part in an operation to locate and recover a landing pod with astronauts returning from the International Space Station (ISS) on Thursday, a Russian air navigation official said; Kazinform refers to RIA Novosti.
A space capsule carrying Russian Maxim Surayev and American Jeff Williams from ISS Expedition 22 is expected to land in Kazakhstan at 14.23 Moscow time [10.23 GMT].
"We will deploy three An-12 and An-24 planes, 12 Mi-8 helicopters and six search-and-rescue vehicles during the return of the Soyuz TMA-16's landing pod to Earth on Thursday," said Andrei Pryanishnikov, a spokesman for Russia's Air Navigation Service.
The official said a total of 12 possible landing zones have been prepared in Russia and other countries to ensure the timely and efficient rescue of the astronauts returning to Earth; Kazinform cites RIA Novosti.
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