On Saturday, Peggy Whitson touched the earth's surface, completing his record flight. As a result, she spent 665 days in orbit (288 is the last mission), which is higher than all indicators among women.
Whitson was the last to leave the ship. She was immediately given sunglasses while she was resting in her chair. Doctors checked the pulse and its general condition, which is a common practice. At the end she was handed a bouquet.
She not only broke the record for the duration of their stay in orbit among women, but also became the oldest among them (57 years). It is also the first woman to command the crew twice.
Fedor Yurchikhin stayed in the space of 673 days for 5 missions, and Jack Fisher - 136 days. The men arrived at the ISS in April.
Fedor Yurchikhin (center), Peggy Whitson (left) and Jack Fisher (right)
They posed for photos and said goodbye to the station. Before returning to their homes, they embraced, and Yurchikhin patted the capsule.
The new commander was Randy Bresnik, who thanked the cosmonauts for their service and said that in general they spent 4 years and 2 weeks at the station.
Staff helps Peggy Whitson after landing
Yurchikhin is on the 7th place for the duration of stay in space. Whitson follows him. The first place belongs to the cosmonaut Gennady Padalka, who spent 879 days on the ISS for 5 flights.
Whitson is a biochemist in her specialty and has done a lot of research at the station. Colleagues say that it is difficult to maintain its pace and speed. She even tried to improve the power system.
It was believed that she would return in six months, but took the opportunity to stay another 3 months. She said she misses her husband, pizza and ordinary toilet.
Peggy Whitson gets help a few minutes after landing.
Because of Hurricane Harvey, the United States could not provide an aircraft for its astronauts. Therefore, ESA offered to deliver them to Germany, and from there to make transportation. Astronaut Bresnik, as well as Russian and Italian cosmonauts remained on the ISS. After September 12, they will be joined by another Russian and two Americans.
The Union ship arrived at the landing pad in Kazakhstan
Fedor Yurchikhin gets help after landing
Mechanical pilot Peggy Whitson (left), Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin and Flight Engineer Jack Fisher in the Union capsule after landing.
Jack Fisher leaves Soyuz-MS-04 on September 3rd
The Soyuz ship arrived with the crew on Earth in the city of Zhezkazgan (Kazakhstan)
Peggy Whitson floats inside the Columbus module on the ISS on December 8, 2016
Photo taken on January 6, 2017, where Peggy Whitson works while walking in open space
Peggy Whitson keeps Chinese cabbage grown on the ISS. The picture was posted on her Twitter page on May 30
Peggy Whitson smiles before starting with the ISS (October 10, 2007)
Endeavor ship crew before launching on June 5, 2002: Kenneth Cockrell, Paul Lockhart, Valery Korzun, Peggy Whitson, Sergey Treschev, Philip Perrin and Franklin Chang-Diaz
