Space station crew returns Thursday, replacements launch SundayDecember 13, 2017 William Harwood
European astronaut Paolo Nespoli, Russian cosmonaut Sergey Ryazanskiy and Expedition 53 commander Randy Bresnik donned their Sokol spacesuits last week to rehearse undocking and landing procedures. Credit: NASA(...) Forecasters are predicting several inches of snow with winds gusting about 20 mph and temperatures near zero at the landing site.
Russian recovery crews, including NASA flight surgeons and other personnel, will be deployed nearby to help the returning astronauts out of the cramped descent module as they begin re-adjusting to gravity — and cold winter weather — after nearly five months in the climate controlled, weightless environment of the space station.
After quick medical checks and satellite phone calls home to friends and family, all three will be flown by helicopter to Karaganda. From there, Ryazanskiy will fly back to Star City near Moscow while Bresnik and Nespoli board a NASA jet for the long flight back to Houston for more medical checks and debriefing. (...)
https://spaceflightnow.com/2017/12/13/space-station-crew-returns-thursday-replacements-launch-sunday/