It was the first nominal landing in three missions, following separation failures on the Soyuz TMA-10 and 11 spacecraft.

Her role aboard the Soyuz is referred to as a Spaceflight Participant in English-language Russian Federal Space Agency and NASA documents and press briefings.

On 10 March 2008, it was announced that Ko breached regulations surrounding removal of books from the training centre in Russia,[7] and therefore would not be allowed to fly.

[4] Richard Garriott flew as a private astronaut through a program run by Space Adventures.

Soyuz TMA-12 saw the joined landing of the world's first two second-generation space travellers, Sergey Volkov and Richard Garriott.