A Russian Soyuz spacecraft carrying commander Gennady Padalka, flight engineer Michael Barratt and Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberte undocked from the Interrnational Space Station Saturday and plunged to a successful landing in Kazakhstan early Sunday.

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Guy Laliberte has been assisted out of the Soyuz and into one of the reclining chairs set up at the landing site.

Padalka and Barratt appear healthy and happy following their descent and landing. Padalka has been chowing down on a fresh apple while medical specialists check the crew members' vital signs.

And now flight engineer Michael Barratt has exited the spacecraft. Before too long, he will go back into training in preparation to fly aboard the final space shuttle mission next year.

Commander Gennady Padalka is out of the capsule. He has accumulated 586 days in space over three missions.

The recovery forces have landed next to the Soyuz and already gotten the spacecraft's hatch open. The capsule came to rest on its side, which is not uncommon.

LANDING CONFIRMED! The Russian Soyuz TMA-14 capsule has landed in Kazakhstan, capping the 198-day, 16-hour voyage of Expedition 20 commander Gennady Padalka and flight engineer Michael Barratt and the 11-day adventure of Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberte.

Standing by for confirmation of touchdown.

Now five minutes to touchdown as Soyuz descends to Kazakhstan under its main parachute.

At an altitude of five kilometers, the module's heat shield is scheduled to be jettisoned. This is followed by the termination of the aerodynamic spin cycle and the dumping of any residual propellant from the Soyuz. Computers also will arm the module's seat shock absorbers in preparation for landing.

With the jettisoning of the capsule's heat shield, the Soyuz altimeter is exposed to the surface of the Earth. Using a reflector system, signals are bounced to the ground from the Soyuz and reflected back, providing the capsule's computers updated information on altitude and rate of descent.

The helicopters have a visual sighting of the Soyuz.

Recovery forces flying in helicopters in the landing zone have made a communications link with the crew aboard Soyuz.

Once the drogue chute is jettisoned, the main parachute is deployed. It is connected to the Descent Module by two harnesses, covers an area of about 1,000 square meters and slows descent to 7.2 meters/second.

Initially, the Descent Module will hang underneath the main parachute at a 30-degree angle with respect to the horizon for aerodynamic stability, but the bottommost harness will be severed a few minutes before landing, allowing the Descent Module to hang vertically through touchdown.

Onboard computers are starting a commanded sequence for deployment of the capsule's parachutes at an altitude of about 10 kilometers. Two "pilot" parachutes are unfurled first, extracting a 24-square-meter drogue parachute. Within 16 seconds, the craft's fall will slow from 230 meters per second to about 80 m/s.

The parachute deployment creates a gentle spin for the Soyuz as it dangles underneath the drogue chute, assisting in the capsule's stability in the final minutes before touchdown.

Communications between the Soyuz crew and Russian flight controllers have been established again after the fiery plunge through the atmosphere. The crew reports it is doing well.

Twenty minutes to landing. The Soyuz is making its fiery plunge into the atmosphere now.

Entry Interface. The Soyuz is now hitting the upper fringes of the atmosphere at an altitude of 400,000 feet above Africa. The Expedition 20 crew will soon begin to feel the first tugs of Earth's gravity after six months in space.

The entry guidance by the spacecraft's onboard software package is scheduled to start in a couple of minutes.

Mission Control says a successful module separation has occurred.

The three segments of the Soyuz TMA-14 spacecraft have jettisoned apart, allowing the crew-carrying Descent Module to safely ferry the three crew members back to Earth. The no-longer-needed Orbital Module and Instrumentation/Propulsion Module are designed to burn up in the atmosphere.

Time to touchdown is now 30 minutes.

In about four minutes at an altitude of 87 miles, just above the first traces of the Earth's atmosphere, computers will command the separation of the three modules that comprise the Soyuz vehicle. With the crew strapped in to the Descent Module, the forward Orbital Module containing the docking mechanism and rendezvous antennas and the rear Instrumentation/Propulsion Module, which houses the engines and avionics, will pyrotechnically separate and burn up in the atmosphere.

The Descent Module's computers will orient the capsule with its ablative heat shield pointing forward to repel the buildup of heat as it plunges into the atmosphere. Entry interface at the upper fringes of the atmosphere, when the capsule is about 400,000 feet above the Earth, happens about three minutes after module separation.

BURN COMPLETE! The Soyuz has performed its braking maneuver, committing the craft for entry into the atmosphere. Touchdown is 46 minutes away.

The craft is flying backward over the southern Atlantic Ocean on a northeasterly trajectory bound for Africa and eventually Central Asia where landing is expected at 12:31 a.m. EDT in central Kazakhstan.

BURN IGNITION! Thrusters on the Russian Soyuz spacecraft are firing to brake from orbit. This deorbit burn is expected to last four minutes and 24 seconds to put the capsule on a course for the trip back to Earth.

The Soyuz thrusters are armed.

Final checks of the capsule orientation and systems have been completed.

About 7.5 miles now separate the space station and Soyuz.

Command of the International Space Station now belongs to Frank De Winne, the first European astronaut to serve as commander of the outpost. The new Expedition 21 crew also includes cosmonauts Roman Romanenko and Maxim Suraev, Canadian astronaut Robert Thirsk and NASA astronauts Jeff Williams an Nicole Stott.

The 15-second separation burn by the Soyuz's thrusters has been completed to accelerate the spacecraft's departure from the outpost. The deorbit burn is coming up at 11:40 p.m., with landing in Kazakhstan still expected at 12:31 a.m. EDT.

UNDOCKING. The Soyuz TMA-14 spacecraft has separated from the space station after nearly 197 days there, setting the stage for tonight's return to Earth. The undocking occurred 220 miles over northern China.

The undocking command has been issued. Hooks and latches holding the station's Pirs docking module and Soyuz tightly together are being opened now.

Soyuz's docking mechanism has been powered up. The station's thrusters have been inhibited for the upcoming undocking event.

The space station has been maneuvered to the desired orientation for the upcoming departure of Soyuz.

Outgoing commander Gennady Padalka, flight engineer Michael Barratt and Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberte bid the space station's crew farewell Saturday, floated into the Soyuz TMA-14 spacecraft and prepared for re-entry and landing early Sunday in Kazakhstan.

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Padalka, Barratt and Laliberte have boarded their Soyuz spacecraft for tonight's journey from the International Space Station to the landing site in Kazakhstan. The crew confirmed the hatchway between the station and capsule was closed at 6:06 p.m. EDT.

Undocking remains scheduled for 9:07 p.m. EDT, leading to touchdown on Earth at 12:31 a.m. EDT.

The International Space Station's Russian commander, a NASA astronaut and a famous tourist will return to Earth on Saturday night, landing on the steppes of central Asia inside their parachute-equipped descent capsule.

Expedition 20 commander Gennady Padalka, flight engineer Michael Barratt and Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberte will say their goodbyes to the station's other six residents -- new Expedition 21 commander Frank De Winne of the European Space Agency, cosmonauts Roman Romanenko and Maxim Suraev, Canadian astronaut Robert Thirsk and NASA astronauts Jeff Williams an Nicole Stott during a 6 p.m. EDT ceremony -- and then floating into the Soyuz TMA-14 craft currently docked to the station's Pirs compartment and close the hatchway between the station and capsule.

The homeward-bound crew will work together for a next couple of hours to power up the Soyuz, active the craft's systems, remove docking clamps, depressurize the vestibule between the capsule and station and perform other work to ready for undocking.

Padalka and Barratt have been working on the station for six months, while Laliberte spent just over a week at the outpost.

The command to begin opening hooks and latches firmly holding Soyuz to its docking port will be sent at 9:04 p.m. EDT (0104 GMT). Physical separation between the two craft occurs three minutes later.

After moving a short distance from the station, the Soyuz engines will fire for 15 seconds to execute the so-called separation burn to propel the craft out of the orbiting lab's vicinity.

About two-and-a-half hours later, the capsule's engines will ignite for the deorbit burn to brake from space. The onboard computers will initiate an engine firing at 11:40:42 p.m. EDT (0340:42 GMT) that slows the ship just enough to slip out of orbit for the return to Earth. The burn will last four minutes and 24 seconds.

Shortly before reaching the top of the atmosphere, the Soyuz's three distinct modules will separate at 12:05:37 a.m. EDT (0405:37 GMT) under computer command. The crew will be located in the Descent Module, which is sandwiched between the forward Orbital Module containing the docking mechanism and the rear Instrumentation and Propulsion Module housing the engines and avionics.

The Descent Module orients itself to point the ablative heat shield in the direction of travel to protect the craft and crew from the intense plunge back to Earth. At 12:08:26 a.m. EDT (0408:26 GMT) and an altitude of 63 miles, the moment of Entry Interface occurs as the capsule hits the upper fringes of the atmosphere for the fiery re-entry.

During the fall to Earth, the Orbital Module and Instrumentation and Propulsion Module will burn up in the atmosphere.

About seven minutes after Entry Interface, the crew will experience the period of maximum G-loads during entry at an altitude of 20 miles, as they feel the tug of Earth's gravity for the first time since launch.

At 12:16:50 a.m. EDT (0416:50 GMT), the onboard computers will start a commanded sequence for deployment of the capsule's parachutes at an altitude of about 6.6 miles. Two "pilot" parachutes are unfurled first, extracting a drogue parachute.

The parachute deployment creates a gentle spin for the Soyuz as it dangles underneath the drogue chute, assisting in the capsule's stability in the final minutes before touchdown.

The drogue chute will be jettisoned, allowing the main parachute to be deployed. It is connected to the Descent Module by two harnesses.

Initially, the Descent Module will hang underneath the main parachute at a 30-degree angle with respect to the horizon for aerodynamic stability, but the bottommost harness will be severed a few minutes before landing, allowing the Descent Module to hang vertically through touchdown.

At an altitude of just over three miles, the heat shield will be cast free. That is followed by dumping of any residual propellant from the Soyuz.

Once the heat shield is gone, the Soyuz altimeter is exposed to the surface of the Earth. Using a reflector system, signals are bounced to the ground from the Soyuz and reflected back, providing the capsule's computers updated information on altitude and rate of descent.

At an altitude of about 40 feet, cockpit displays will tell the crew to prepare for the soft landing engine firing. Just seconds before touchdown, the six solid propellant engines are fired in a final braking maneuver, enabling the Soyuz to land to complete its mission.

Touchdown is expected at 12:31:50 a.m. EDT (0431:50 GMT) on the steppes of central Kazakhstan, about two hours and 44 minutes after sunrise at the landing site. The target spot is 51.02 degrees North latitude and 67.10 degrees East longitude. The mission concludes with a duration of 198 days, 16 hours, 42 minutes and 32 seconds.

A group of Russian helicopters carrying the recovery forces should arrive soon after landing to help the crew exit the capsule.

Each crew member will be placed in special reclining chairs near the capsule for initial medical tests and begin readapting to Earth's gravity. They will be transferred into a portable medical tent erected near the touchdown point where the three crew members can remove their spacesuits.

Post-landing plans call for the crew to be flown from the site in helicopters.

The Soyuz TMA-16 spacecraft carrying cosmonaut Maxim Suraev, NASA flight engineer Jeffrey Williams and Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberte maneuvered to a smooth docking with the International Space Station early Friday to close out a two-day orbital chase.

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The hatchway between the Soyuz spacecraft and the station has been opened to allow the new crew to float into the complex. There to greet them was commander Gennady Padalka, NASA astronauts Michael Barratt and Nicole Stott, Frank De Winne of the European Space Agency, cosmonaut Roman Romanenko and Canadian astronaut Robert Thirsk.

DOCKING. The Soyuz TMA-16 spacecraft has docked to the Zvezda module of the Internatioanl Space Station, delivering Russian cosmonaut Maxim Suraev, NASA astronaut Jeff Williams and space tourist Guy Laliberte.

The docking occurred as the space station flew over Kazakhstan, Mission Control said, following a smooth automated rendezvous and final approach.

Over the next few minutes, the Soyuz docking probe will retract to allow hooks and latches to bring the spacecraft to a firm seal with the station. Hatches between the two vehicles will be opened around 7:25 a.m. EDT.

A Russian Soyuz rocket blasted off from Yuri Gagarin's launch pad in Kazakhstan Wednesday, carrying two fresh crew members and the founder of Cirque du Soleil on a voyage to the International Space Station.

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Russian cosmonaut Maxim Suraev, NASA astronaut Jeff Williams and space tourist Guy Laliberte have arrived in orbit following launch aboard the Soyuz TMA-16 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. A pair of maneuvers later today and another one Thursday will adjust the capsule's trajectory to set up for Friday's docking with the space station.

The craft is completing a programmed sequence to deploy the power-generating solar arrays, as well as antennas for navigational and communication systems.

T+plus 9 minutes. CAPSULE SEPARATION! The Soyuz spacecraft is flying free after the upper stage finished its engine firing and then separated away. The capsule is in pursuit of the International Space Station for a planned docking around 4:36 a.m. EDT on Friday.

T+plus 8 minutes. About a minute remains in the propulsion by the upper stage. The motor consumes kerosene and liquid oxygen just like the Soyuz rocket's other powerplants.

T+plus 7 minutes. The crew reports all remains normal aboard the spacecraft as the four-nozzle engine of the upper stage continues to burn.

T+plus 6 minutes. Soyuz's upper stage is firing to propel the spacecraft into a stable orbit around Earth.

T+plus 5 minutes. The core stage of the Soyuz rocket has shut down and separated, leaving the upper stage to complete the job of injecting the Soyuz capsule into orbit.

T+plus 4 minutes. The crew reports it is feeling "super" and "happy" as the Soyuz rockets toward space. The core motor continues to fire on its propellant mixture of kerosene fuel and supercold liquid oxygen.

T+plus 3 minutes. The safety escape tower and launch shroud have been jettisoned from the atop the Soyuz capsule.

T+plus 2 minutes, 5 seconds. The four strap-on boosters clustered around the Soyuz rocket's main stage have burned out and separated. The core motor continues to fire.

T+plus 60 seconds. All looks good one minute into this ascent for the Soyuz rocket and its three-person crew from the Kazakh launch base. NASA astronaut Jeff Williams is strapped into the left-hand seat, Russian cosmonaut Maxim Suraev is in the center seat for his role as the Soyuz commander and space tourist Guy Laliberte is in the right-hand seat.

T+plus 30 seconds. The Soyuz is heading on course for a rendezvous with the space station 50 hours from now. The station currently is flying high above the Atlantic Ocean east of Brazil.

LIFTOFF! Liftoff of the Soyuz rocket with new crewmates and a tourist bound for the International Space Station.

T-minus 25 seconds. The first umbilical arm has separated from Soyuz. The second will retract in the next few seconds.

T-minus 1 minute and counting. The Soyuz has been placed on internal power. Standing by for liftoff at approximately 0714:42 GMT.

T-minus 2 minutes and counting. Rocket propellant tank pressurization is underway. The vehicle's onboard measurement system is activated. Oxidizer and fuel drain and safety valves of the launch vehicle have been closed.

T-minus 3 minutes and counting. The nitrogen purge of the combustion chambers of side and central engine pods of the rocket is being performed in preparation for ignition.

T-minus 4 minutes. The launch key has been inserted in the bunker for liftoff.

T-minus 5 minutes and counting. Systems of the Soyuz have switched to onboard control, the ground measurement system and the Soyuz commander's controls are being activated.

T-minus 6 minutes. The automatic program for final launch operations is being initiated.

T-minus 9 minutes and counting. It's time for the crew to close helmet visors.

T-minus 10 minutes. The crew inside the Soyuz capsule are starting recorders to collect data during launch.

T-minus 14 minutes and counting. The Soyuz telemetry systems are being activated. They will relay real-time data back to Earth during today's launch.

T-minus 17 minutes. At this point in the countdown, realignment of the Soyuz rocket's trajectory control system and checks of internal batteries should be complete. The Soyuz telemetry system will soon be activated and monitoring of Soyuz's thermal control system also will begin.

T-minus 20 minutes and counting. The three-stage Soyuz rocket will insert the 15,800-pound space capsule into a 143 by 118 mile orbit, inclined 51.6 degrees to the equator.

T-minus 25 minutes. The crew is completing leak checks of their Sokol launch spacesuits at this point in the countdown.

T-minus 30 minutes and counting. The emergency escape system is being armed. The system would be employed if a major malfunction occurs, propelling the Soyuz capsule off the top of the rocket to safety.

T-minus 35 minutes. Retraction of the two-piece service structure that has enclosed the Soyuz rocket during its stay at the launch pad has occurred as the towers rotate to a horizontal position. Several other umbilical arms connecting the rocket to the ground will be retracted at various times later in the countdown.

T-minus 45 minutes and counting. Maxim Suraev, Jeff Williams and space tourist Guy Laliberte were awakened about eight hours ago to begin launch day activities. They signed the doors at crew quarters and received religious blessings before boarding a bus that took the three crewmates the 25-mile distance into the cosmodrome. They donned their white Sokol launch and entry suits, met with Russian and American space officials and then headed for the pad. Crowds of well-wishers gathered to wave goodbye as the crew reached the rocket. An elevator took the trio up to the capsule-level of the tower to begin climbing aboard the cramped spacecraft.

T-minus 70 minutes and counting. The Soyuz rocket is fueled, the crew is aboard and the countdown is progressing toward liftoff of the space station's Expedition 21 mission at 3:14 a.m. EDT (0714 GMT) from the Baikonur Cosmodrome.

Russian engineers are readying a Soyuz rocket and capsule for launch early Wednesday on a flight to ferry two fresh crew members to the International Space Station, along with space tourist Guy Laliberte, founder of Cirque du Soleil.

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Liftoff from the historic Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan is scheduled for 3:14 a.m. EDT (0714 GMT), beginning a 9-minute ascent to orbit for the three-stage liquid-fueled booster.

It will take two days for the Soyuz TMA-16 capsule to the reach station, with docking to the Zvezda service module's aft port expected Friday around 4:36 a.m. EDT (0836 GMT).

The linkup will deliver Maxim Suraev, a Russian air force colonel, and NASA flight engineer Jeff Williams, a veteran shuttle and space station astronaut, to the orbiting outpost to join the current crew of commander Gennady Padalka, NASA astronauts Michael Barratt and Nicole Stott, Frank De Winne of the European Space Agency, cosmonaut Roman Romanenko and Canadian astronaut Robert Thirsk.

Also launching aboard the Soyuz is Laliberte, a space tourist. He'll spend a week on the station before returning to Earth aboard the departing Soyuz TMA-15 capsule with Padalka and Barratt.

The Soyuz rocket was rolled from its hangar to the launch pad on Monday morning. Mounted horizontally on a railcar, the rocket journeyed along a winding route from the integration facility at Site 254.

Hydraulic pistons lifted the rocket upright on the pad and gantry swing arms moved into position to enclose the vehicle. Technicians on four levels hooked up electrical and telemetry cables between the rocket and pad.

A gallery of rollout photos is posted here.

Here is an overview the key events in Wednesday's countdown, as provided by NASA:

• T- 6:00:00 Batteries are installed in the booster
  
  
• T- 5:30:00 State commission gives "go" to take launch vehicle
  
  
• T- 5:15:00 Crew arrives at site 254
  
  
• T- 5:00:00 Tanking begins
  
  
• T- 4:20:00 Spacesuit donning
  
  
• T- 4:00:00 Booster is loaded with liquid oxygen
  
  
• T- 3:40:00 Crew meets delegations
  
  
• T- 3:10:00 Reports to the State commission
  
  
• T- 3:05:00 Transfer to the launch pad
  
  
• T- 3:00:00 Vehicle first and second stage oxidizer fueling complete
  
  
• T- 2:35:00 Crew arrives at launch vehicle
  
  
• T- 2:30:00 Crew ingress through orbital module side hatch
  
  
• T- 2:00:00 Crew in re-entry vehicle
  
  
• T- 1:45:00 Re-entry vehicle hardware tested; suits are ventilated
  
  
• T- 1:30:00 Launch command monitoring and supply unit prepared;
  -- Orbital compartment hatch tested for sealing
  
  
• T- 1:00:00 Launch vehicle control system prepared for use; gyro instruments activated
  
  
• T- :45:00 Launch pad service structure halves are lowered
  
  
• T- :40:00 Re-entry vehicle hardware testing complete; leak checks performed on suits
  
  
• T- :30:00 Emergency escape system armed; launch command supply unit activated
  
  
• T- :25:00 Service towers withdrawn
  
  
• T- :15:00 Suit leak tests complete; crew engages personal escape hardware auto mode
  
  
• T- :10:00 Launch gyro instruments uncaged; crew activates on-board recorders
  
  
• T- 7:00 All prelaunch operations are complete
  
  
• T- 6:15 Key to launch command given at the launch site;
  -- Automatic program of final launch operations is activated
  
  
• T- 6:00 All launch complex and vehicle systems ready for launch
  
  
• T- 5:00 Onboard systems switched to onboard control;
  -- Ground measurement system activated by RUN 1 command;
  -- Commander's controls activated;
  -- Crew switches to suit air by closing helmets;
  -- Launch key inserted in launch bunker
  
  
• T- 3:15 Combustion chambers of side and central engine pods purged with nitrogen
  
  
• T- 2:30 Booster propellant tank pressurization starts;
  -- Onboard measurement system activated by RUN 2 command;
  -- Prelaunch pressurization of all tanks with nitrogen begins
  
  
• T- 2:15 Oxidizer and fuel drain and safety valves of launch vehicle are closed;
  -- Ground filling of oxidizer and nitrogen to the launch vehicle is terminated
  
  
• T- 1:00 Vehicle on internal power;
  -- Automatic sequencer on;
  -- First umbilical tower separates from booster
  
  
• T- :40 Ground power supply umbilical to third stage is disconnected
  
  
• T- :20 Launch command given at the launch position;
  -- Central and side pod engines are turned on
  
  
• T- :15 Second umbilical tower separates from booster
  
  
• T- :10 Engine turbopumps at flight speed
  
  
• T- :05 First stage engines at maximum thrust
  
  
• T- :00 Fueling tower separates;
  -- Lift off

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