Russian Soyuz space capsule returns to earth

According to Xinhuanet, earlier on Monday, the Soyuz TMA-20 successfully backed away from the International Space Station and the shuttle Endeavour. Onboard the Soyuz was Italian astronaut Paolo Nespoli, American astronaut, Catherine Coleman, and Russian cosmonaut, Dmitry Kondratyev.

The departure left behind three space station residents and Endeavour's six-man crew. Prior to a successful landing, crew member Paolo Nespoli from Italy took some unprecedented close-up photos of the ISS while Endeavour was docked at the complex.

Originally known as a Soyuz flyabout, the proposal to obtain imagery was first revealed prior to the STS-133 mission in February this year. It's the first time a Soyuz has returned home while a shuttle was attached to the space station.

To learn more see http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/video/2011-05/27/c_13897014.htm