NASA's holding it's breath, and so am I

If you think about it, say a prayer for the astronauts and cosmonaut who are returning tonight from the International Space Station. They are scheduled to land 250 miles from the capital of Kazakhstan about 10:07 EDT. Because the space shuttle programme is grounded, they are returning on a Soyuz capsule. This particular one has never been through a descent. Space is at such a premium that they had to leave most of their belongings behind, including an Australian digeridoo that one of the astronauts played to his children via video. This will be the first time that American astronauts will touchdown in a foreign spacecraft on foreign soil. Good luck to them all.

PS Whew! I watched NasaTV's broadcast of the ISS mission control and they're saying they have readio contact with the crew on the ground. As the Colombia and Challenger taught us, no mission is exactly routine. The crew had been in space for 5 1/2 months. It's good to have them home (on earth, anyway), and I'm sure their families and the people at NASA are relieved.

PPS Had no idea when I went to bed that no one knew where the capsule was, exactly. Seems there was a 2-hour scramble and some very tense moments, but everyone was okay. :)