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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/science/2016/jun/18/astronaut-tim-peake-shuts-hatch-on-soyuz-capsule-for-trip-back-to-earth
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| Astronaut Tim Peake's journey back to Earth – watch live stream | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Tim Peake’s Soyuz capsule has separated from the International Space Station as the British astronaut begins the process of returning to Earth at the end of an historic mission that earned him an honour from the Queen for “extraordinary service beyond our planet”. | |
| Related: Tim Peake's time in space is drawing to a close, but he'll remain a star | Related: Tim Peake's time in space is drawing to a close, but he'll remain a star |
| During the last six months the 44-year-old British former helicopter test pilot has taken part in more than 250 experiments, performed a spacewalk, run the London Marathon on a treadmill and inspired more than a million schoolchildren. | During the last six months the 44-year-old British former helicopter test pilot has taken part in more than 250 experiments, performed a spacewalk, run the London Marathon on a treadmill and inspired more than a million schoolchildren. |
| Peake’s space capsule was due to parachute down to a remote spot on the vast Kazakhastan steppe at around 10.15am UK time. | Peake’s space capsule was due to parachute down to a remote spot on the vast Kazakhastan steppe at around 10.15am UK time. |
| The Soyuz was scheduled to make a scorching rollercoaster ride through the atmosphere, also carrying two others: Colonel Tim Kopra, a Nasa astronaut, and Yuri Malenchenko, a Russian cosmonaut. | The Soyuz was scheduled to make a scorching rollercoaster ride through the atmosphere, also carrying two others: Colonel Tim Kopra, a Nasa astronaut, and Yuri Malenchenko, a Russian cosmonaut. |
| Related: Astronaut Tim Peake's stunning photos of the Earth – interactive map | Related: Astronaut Tim Peake's stunning photos of the Earth – interactive map |
| Soon after 3am UK time the three men climbed from the ISS into the Soyuz TMA-19M spacecraft that took them into orbit on 15 December. | Soon after 3am UK time the three men climbed from the ISS into the Soyuz TMA-19M spacecraft that took them into orbit on 15 December. |
| Closing the hatch between the station and the spacecraft 34 minutes later marked the official end of ISS expedition 47 and Peake’s Principia mission. | Closing the hatch between the station and the spacecraft 34 minutes later marked the official end of ISS expedition 47 and Peake’s Principia mission. |
| Docking latches were undone several hours later before the Soyuz was pushed away by springs, then fired several rocket bursts to put it at a safe distance from the space station before beginning descent. | |
| Only the middle section of a Soyuz, the descent module, completes the trip to Earth, with passengers – in this case Peake and two colleagues – sitting side by side in special shock-absorbing seats. | Only the middle section of a Soyuz, the descent module, completes the trip to Earth, with passengers – in this case Peake and two colleagues – sitting side by side in special shock-absorbing seats. |