October 31, 2001. Chkalovsky air field, Star City.
The Russian-French visiting crew (VC-2) consisting of Victor Afanasiev,
Claudie Haignere and Konstantin Kozeev, having completed a 10-day mission
to the International Space Station, have returned to the Star City near
Moscow.
The aircraft with the crew has landed at Chkalovsky air field at 17:30
Moscow Time. The cosmonauts were met by Ambassador of French Republic
to Russian Federation Claude Blanchemaison, CNES General Director Gerard
Brachet, Yu. P. Semenov, Technical Director of Russian Manned Space
Programs, General Designer of S.P. Korolev RSC Energia, Academician
of the Russian Academy of Sciences, representatives of the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs and French Embassy to the Russian Federation, head
of the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center colonel-general P.I. Klimuk,
representatives of Rosaviacosmos, ESA, CNES, Russian enterprises and
organizations, involved in the ISS Project implementation, families
and friends of the cosmonauts.
After a short but hearty meeting that took place at the boarding bridge
of the aircraft the crew moved to the cosmonaut’s recreation facility
at the Star City to undergo post flight examination and rest.
Following this Centre Nationale d’Etudes Spatiale (CNES) arranged a
reception at the Star City’s Cosmonauts House for the Russian and French
specialists who participated in the fulfillment of the mission’s program.
During the reception salutatory speeches were delivered by Ambassador
of France Claude Blanchemaison, RSC Energia General Designer Yu. P.
Semenov, head of the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center P.I. Klimuk,
official representatives of CNES, ESA and Rosaviacosmos. Those who spoke
at the reception repeatedly stressed the importance of long-term Russian-French
cooperation in manned spaceflight and space research in general for
the development of friendly and business relations between France and
Russia and aerospace industry enterprises of both countries.
