Soyuz returns to Earth after five months Russian spacecraft Soyuz has returned safely to Earth from its mission to the International Space Station (ISS) and has touchdown in Kazakhstan. The ship's three-man crew which comprises of one cosmonaut and two astronauts from NASA and the European Space Agency has been in orbit since May 28. Commander Maksim Suraev of the Russian Space Agency, NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman and European Space Agency astronaut Alexander Gerst made history pre launch by becoming the first team ever to take a "selfie" before their launch.