Moscow  - The Soyuz space capsule carrying US space tourist Charles Simonyi and a Russian-American crew landed safely on the Kazakh steppe Wednesday, returning from its mission to the International Space Station (ISS).

Upon landing, software billionaire Simonyi was presented with a large green apple - a Russian spaceflight tradition.

   Also on board were Russian cosmonaut Yuri Lonchakov, and US astronaut Michael Fincke.

   The return had to be delayed for one day because of flooding in the landing area.

The three space travellers were required following the landing to be carried in special reclining chairs as their bodies accustomed themselves to the earth's gravity.

Simonyi, 60, arrived on ISS on March 28. It has been the second trip to the space station for the Hungarian-born software developer.

The space tourist said he paid 35 million dollars for his trip, about 10 million dollars more than for his first space holiday in 2007.

Since 2001, a total of six private individuals have made space- tourism visits to the ISS.

   Lonchakov and Fincke focused on scientific experiments during their six-month stay aboard ISS. From next month, the ISS will be staffed by a permanent crew of six, rather than the current three.

In May, with the arrival of three additional ISS crew, Belgian Frank de Winne will be the first astronaut of the European Space Agency (ESA) to take over command of the station.