British astronaut Tim Peake has returned to Earth after a six-month stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS)
During his mission, Major Peake completed the first spacewalk by a UK astronaut and ran the London Marathon
He completed 2,976 orbits of Earth and covered a distance of roughly 125 million km
A Soyuz capsule carrying Major Peake, American Tim Kopra and Russian Yuri Malenchenko touched down in Kazakhstan at 10:15 BST on Saturday
Tim Peake described his journey back to Earth as "the best ride I've been on ever"
Image source, European Space AgencyTim Peake, Tim Kopra and Yuri Malenchenko have said their goodbyes and are now in the Soyuz spacecraft that will bring them home. The hatch is closed and the trio are going through their checklist before undocking.
Having spent the past six months living in zero-G, Major Tim will soon feel the full force of gravity tugging down on his body.
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What will it be like for Tim Peake when he gets home? Britain's first astronaut, Helen Sharman, recalls being a "bit wobbly" on her return from orbit in 1991.
Tim Peake is likely to feel unsteady after landing says fellow astronaut Helen Sharman.
There's no doubting Tim's expertise behind the camera. During his stay on the ISS he's taking some breathtaking pictures: majestic mountain terrains, swirling weather systems, brilliant auroras, and of course one or two shots of "Blighty".
Image source, NASA/ESAA Sunday summer's evening in June, looking down the UK's east coast
Do you have a favourite? Tim Peake's images are all collected on his Flickr stream, external.
Taking pictures on the space station is not easy. You have to sweep the lens as you depress the shutter of the picture will smear somewhat (the station is moving at 27,500km/h; 17,000mph).
The mapping company ESRI UK has a very nice tool, external that links the astronaut's pictures to their locations on the Earth surface.
US Nasa astronaut Tim Kopra has handed over command of the International Space Station to his Nasa colleague Jeff Williams.
He did it in the naval way - by ringing a bell.
Tim Kopra will now return to Earth with UK astronaut Tim Peake and Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko.
So, that's out with Expedition 47, and in with Expedition 48.
Jeff Williams' crew comprises Russians Aleksey Ovchinin and Oleg Skripochka; along with the soon-to-arrive American Kathleen Rubins, Russian Anatoli Ivanishin, and Japanese astronaut Takuya Onishi.
Image source, NASA/ESAA naval tradition that army man Tim Kopra is happy to continue
David Shukman
Science editor, BBC News, Karagandy
Returning to Earth requires an operation as carefully choreographed as a launch. The Russian space agency has mobilised an impressive force to receive Tim Peake and his two colleagues.
At a briefing this morning in the Kazakh city of Karaganda, the head of aviation confirmed that no fewer than 13 helicopters would be involved together with three planes. A convoy of all-terrain vehicles is already on the move to the landing zone in a remote area of steppe. Possible trajectories for the spacecraft have been plotted and will be fine-tuned as the capsule descends.
The aim is to minimise the time between touchdown and the arrival of specialist recovery teams. A well-versed plan is in place to get the astronauts into fresh air as quickly as possible.
The chief medic reported that all three are in good health and the head of astronaut training said they had passed the challenges of two simulated descents earlier this month. The Russian landing method is dramatic and occasionally violent but it has been safe for several decades.
There's a quiet confidence here but everyone acknowledges that anything involving space is unpredictable.
Good afternoon and welcome to our live coverage of Tim Peake's return from space!
Major Peake is preparing to leave the ISS after an historic six-month stay on the International Space Station.
Stay tuned for updates from BBC correspondents in the UK, Russia and Kazakhstan, as preparations get under way for a landing on Saturday morning.
On Thursday, Tim tweeted this photo, external of the view from his seat in the Soyuz capsule that will bring him home.
Image source, NASA/ESATim has a window seat for his return to Earth