Two Russian astronauts, Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub, left the International Space Station breaking the record for the longest stay at 374 days. Kononenko also set the record for the longest cumulative time in space at 1,111 days in orbit.

Nasa astronaut Tracy Dyson, was also also aboard the shuttle headed for Kazakhstan after spending six months on the station.

Suni Williams, one of the Nasa astronauts stranded on the ISS after arriving there on the Boeing Starliner spacecraft, rang the bell for their departure.