It has been a safe return to earth after five and a half months in space for three crew members from the International Space Station.<br /><br />A veteran Russian cosmonaut, an American and a German astronaut have touched down in Kazakhstan.<br /><br />And it is understandable if there might have been a few nervous people in mission control; the return of the crew came not long after a rocket carrying supplies to the ISS exploded soon after liftoff in Virginia.<br /><br />Two other Russian cosmonauts and a NASA astronaut remain on board the orbiting space laboratory.<br /><br />But they are due to be joined later this month by three others: a Russian, an American and an Italian.<br /><br />The space station, which is owned by 15 nations, has been permanently staffed for the past 14 years.
