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Soyuz TMA-M Crew Prepares for Returning to the Earth. / February 22, 2011 /

The ISS crew of the Russian vehicle Soyuz TMA-M starts preparing for landing slated for mid March.
Commander Alexander Kaleri and flight engineer Oleg Skripochka today will consult ground experts on the descent procedure.
Later this week, the cosmonauts will begin training in special Chibis device which simulates gravity.
Chibis implies negative pressure on the lower part of the body. G-training normally begins about 3 weeks before landing. Then, two weeks before landing, cosmonauts start taking special food additives. On the landing day they also take saline solutions to avoid dehydration at landing.
Soyuz TMA-M, the vehicle of new series with digital system, undergo flight testing since Oct 8, 2010. It’s landing with Kaleri, Skripochka and US Scott Kelly is scheduled for March 16.
Before departure, Kelly will hand over his duties of the ISS commander to Russian Dmitry Kondratiev.

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