KAZAN 2015 SYMBOL TO ARRIVE IN KAZAN AFTER 167-DAY SPACE TRAVEL

The ceremony was held as part of an official welcome event organised for the 41/42 long-term expedition crew composed of ROSCOSMOS astronauts Aleksandr Samokutyaev and Elena Serova and NASA astronaut Barry Wilmore. As we reported earlier, they had travelled to outer space on September 25, 2014 and returned to Earth on March 12, 2015. After a rehabilitation period, the expedition crew gathered again in the Star City.

Aleksandr Samokutyaev extended words of gratitude to all those who were involved in the preparation and delivery of the space expedition. The cosmonaut shared his experience of working aboard the International Space Station. After making his speech, Aleksandr Samokutyaev handed the capsule to the Kazan 2015 Ambassador Elmira Kalimullina. Together with the 41/42 long-term expedition crew, the symbol of the 16th FINA World Championships had spent 167 days in space. On January 5, the day marking 200 days to go to this summer’s mega aquatics event, the astronauts took time away from their space mission to offer a congratulatory message to all aquatic sports fans.

Elmira Kalimullina thanked the astronauts on behalf of the Kazan 2015 Organising Committee. "Charged with space energy, the capsule will undoubtedly bring success to the Russian national team!" she said. 

Apart from members of the Russian Federal Space Agency and Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre, also present at the event were two-time Heros of the Soviet Union and Pilot-Cosmonauts of the USSR, Alexey Leonov and Boris Volynov. They congratulated their colleagues on a successful completion of their space mission.

The Kazan 2015 symbol will be made available to the public on April 19. Upon its arrival in Kazan, the capsule will be put on display in the MEGA Mall. 

Press Office of Organising Committee for 16th FINA World Championships