later and landing 170 km southeast of Dzhezkazgan. Because the cosmonauts were so weakened from six months in zero gravity (a bouquet of flowers presented to them reportedly felt like "a ton of bricks"), a system of slides and chutes had to be deployed for them to exit the Soyuz descent module. Lyakhov lost 5.5 kg during the flight (Ryumin's weight was the same) and both experienced a 20% reduction in lower leg volume. They recovered in seven days, several days faster than expected. The mission had lasted 175 days, a new endurance record surpassing the 139-day mission by the Soyuz 29 crew in 1978. Legacy Years later, a similar scenario of crew return was required in 2022-23. As Soyuz MS-22, due a coolant leak in external radiator, was unable to perform crew return, it returned uncrewed with cargo, instead of crew, like Soyuz 32 and Soyuz MS-23 was launched unmanned like Soyuz 34 as a replacement, to return the MS-22 crew. See also Soyuz MS-22 Soyuz MS-23 References Crewed Soyuz missions Spacecraft launched in 1979 Spacecraft which reentered in 1979 Spacecraft launched by Soyuz-U rockets