International Space Station crew safely returns to Earth after 165-day mission

The Three International Space Station (ISS) crew members of Expedition 41 has returned to Earth on Nov. 9.after a 165-day mission and landed safely in Kazakhstan.

European Space Agency astronaut Alexander Gerst, Russian cosmonaut Maxim Suraev and NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman traveled more than 70 million miles while in space.

During their time aboard the station, the crew participated in research focusing on Earth remote sensing, advanced manufacturing, and studies of bone and muscle physiology.

They set a milestone for station science by completing a record 82 hours of research in a single week in July.

A key research focus during Expedition 41 was human health management for long duration space travel, as NASA and Roscosmos prepare for two crew members to spend one year aboard the space station beginning in 2015.

A new Earth monitoring instrument called RapidScat also was installed and activated on the station during the crew's time in orbit. RapidScat will measure Earth's ocean surface wind speed and direction, essential measurements used in weather prediction.