Soyuz 23S, “Olympus” docked to the nadir side of the Space Station. This will be our ride back home to planet Earth when our work is complete here. Thought I would tweet this view out of the Cupola, as we were passing over the majestic snow-capped Caucuses. The sun rising and reflecting off the Caspian Sea. Space Photo: NASA, Astronaut Wheelock.

 

Western Europe

 

 

 

 

Patagonia, southern tip of South America

 

Egypt, Israel, Mediterranean Sea and Red Sea.

 

Our ‘Progress 39P’ unmanned resupply spaceship on final approach for docking. It was laden with food, fuel, spare parts, and much needed supplies for our orbiting outpost. The greatest gift was just inside the hatch…some bags of fresh fruit and vegetables. Such a wonderful treat after 3 months of eating out of tubes and plastic pouches.

 

Ayers Rock now known as Uluru, Australia.  This beast is 2.2 miles long and 1.4 miles wide.

 

The ‘Cupola’, attached to the nadir side of the Space Station, gives a panoramic view of our beautiful planet. Cosmonaut Fyodor took this picture from the window of the Russian Docking Compartment (Airlock). Here I am in the Cupola preparing a camera for our late evening Hurricane Earl flyover…trying to capture the moment.