ISS Crew, Space Tourist Return To Earth

A Russian Soyuz capsule carrying the crew of ISS Expedition 11 landed safely in Kazahkstan early Tuesday, bringing to an end the third paid-for expedition by a spacefaring millionaire.

Gregory Olsen reportedly paid approximately $21 million for the ten-day space adventure, overcoming physical issues that threatened to ground him before the flight got underway.

"The Soyuz completed a soft landing," a flight controller at mission control outside Moscow told the BBC. "The crew is feeling well."

The spacecraft touched down at approximately 0019 GMT Tuesday morning and, in the process, proved a record-breaker for Russian cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev. He is now the man with the most cumulative time in space -- more than 800 days in orbit, altogether.

Olsen, the 60-year old CEO of Sensors Unlimited, based in New Jersey, told reporters upon landing, "I want to have a good steak, a red wine and, of course, a hot shower."

Remaining aboard the ISS were NASA astronaut Bill McArthur, the flight commander, and Russia's Valery Tokarev. McArthur, 54, is a retired US Army colonel and the commander of Expedition 12. Tokarev, 52, is a Russian Air Force colonel making his second trip to the ISS.

Who will be the next space tourist? That's a matter for some speculation. While Russian officials, who are selling the tickets for space tours, say it could be Japanese businessman Daisuke Enomoto, he's now competing with an unnamed American for the honor.

FMI: www.spaceflight.nasa.gov