Space Station

Two Japanese space tourists and a Russian cosmonaut have closed out a 12-day visit to the International Space Station. Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa, his assistant Yozo Hirano, and cosmonaut Alexander Misurkin undocked from the station in their Soyuz MS-20 spacecraft at 6:50 p.m. EST (2350 GMT) Sunday, and touched down in Kazakhstan at 10:13 p.m. EST (0313 GMT).

A Russian cosmonaut, a Japanese billionaire and his production assistant rocketed into orbit Wednesday and headed for the International Space Station for an 12-day visit, the first by paying “space tourists” in more than a decade.

Japanese space tourist Yusaku Maezawa, his assistant Yozo Hirano, and Russian cosmonaut Alexander Misurkin lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 2:38 a.m. EST (0738 GMT) Wednesday on a Soyuz rocket to begin a 12-day mission to the International Space Station. The Soyuz docked at the space station at 8:40 a.m. EST (1340 GMT).

A Russian Soyuz rocket is set for blastoff Wednesday from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan carrying Yusaku Maezawa, a Japanese billionaire businessman, his production assistant, and a veteran Russian cosmonaut commander on a 12-day trip to the International Space Station.

Russia’s Prichal docking module linked up with the International Space Station Friday, adding the final planned piece of the Russian segment of the outpost to provide a new connection for future crew and cargo ships.