Russian rescuers get ready for ISS Expedition 22 return to Earth
09:13, 18 March 2010
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.
See www.en.rian.ru for full version