A Russian cosmonaut, a US astronaut and an American space tourist returned safely to Earth today when their Soyuz capsule bumped down in a near-perfect landing in Kazakhstan.
US space tourist Gregory Olsen gives a thumbs up while holding a bottle of wine inside a medical tent after landing near the town of Arkalyk in northern Kazakhstan.
Footage beamed to Moscow mission control from the Kazakh steppe showed the recovery team opening the hatches of the spaceship and tugging the three men in their white spacesuits back onto firm land.
Millionaire scientist and entrepreneur Gregory Olsen waved and gave a big thumbs up - while munching cheerfully on a piece of fruit.
"I feel great. I can't wait to walk around, have real food and take a shower," he said.
Russia's Sergei Krikalev and US astronaut John Phillips had spent half a year in orbit on the International Space Station. Mr Olsen was with them in space for just over a week, paying a reported $20 million for the trip.
Mr Phillips looked dazed initially, his eyes barely open, surrounded by people mopping his forehead and glasses. But he too soon smiled and said: "I'm feeling better now."
Mr Krikalev set a cumulative record of 803 days for the most time spent off the planet by any astronaut or cosmonaut during this, his sixth, spaceflight.