In Russia the astronauts Nikolayev and Sevastyanov have been given a heroes' reception following their return to earth on Friday (19 June) in Soyuz-9. On the record-breaking mission the astronauts made nearly 300 orbits of the earth over a period of 18 days.

Dramatic film of the landing, just released by the Russians, shows for the first time how they bring back their men from space. Russian space scientists prefer to bring their craft and astronauts down on dry land, rather than to a water splashdown.

In the case of Soyuz-9 the touchdown was very close to target in a desolate region of Kazakhstan.

The landing was watched mainly by a group of farmers and their families and was a simple informal affair. No official speeches or presentations wee made immediately after the landing....instead the two astronauts, Nikolayev and Sevastyanov, were helped from their capsule and whisked away by helicopter for their first earth meal in nearly 3 weeks.