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Soyuz brings 11th long-duration crew to station BY WILLIAM HARWOOD STORY WRITTEN FOR CBS NEWS "SPACE PLACE" & USED WITH PERMISSION Posted: April 16, 2005 A Russian Soyuz capsule carrying the international space station's 11th
long-duration crew docked with the lab complex late Saturday after a
trouble-free two-day orbital chase that began with launch Thursday from the
Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
The final moments of the approach and docking were a bit dramatic as the Soyuz capsule rolled 10 to 15 degrees about its vertical axis after contacting the station with a slight misalignment in the roll axis. "The roll error is pretty large at this time," someone said on the Russian flight control audio loop as the Soyuz approached the station. "Are you ready just in case?" But Krikalev never had to take manual control and the misalignment was relatively minor by the time the two spacecraft made contact. "We have contact and capture," someone said as a probe on the nose of the Soyuz engaged the Pirs docking cone. Seconds later, the Soyuz rolled about its vertical axies, prompting Krikalev to observe: "Now we're spinning pretty significantly on the probe." "Yes, but it's in the cone now," ground control replied and within moments, the "rates" damped out. After leak checks and other preparations, Expedition 10 commander Leroy Chiao and Salizhan Sharipov planned to welcome the new crew aboard. Krikalev and NASA science officer John Phillips were accompanied by European Space Agency astronaut Roberto Vittori, who plans to return to Earth April 24 with Chiao and Sharipov after carrying out a series of ESA-sponsored experiments. Assuming an on-time landing, Chiao and Sharipov will have logged 192 days
and 19 hours in space since launch from Baikonur Oct. 13, 2004.
The station crew also will assist Discovery's crew transferring equipment to and from a supply module and help out with three spacewalks by two shuttle astronauts. "I would like to express the congratulations and appreciation from the newly selected NASA Administrator Mike Griffin," deputy administrator Fred Gregory told his Russian counterparts at a post-docking news conference. "I'd like to report that the return-to-flight activities for the shuttle appear to be on time and we are very hopeful we'll be able to launch in the first window in the middle of May or early June." The shuttle launch window opens May 15 and closes June 3. Shuttle managers are expected to announce a target launch date within that window soon.
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The Russian Soyuz TMA-6 capsule docks to the space station's Pirs module, delivering the Expedition 11 to the outpost for a half-year mission. (4min 15sec file)
The Russian Soyuz TMA-6 spacecraft is launched to put the International Space Station's Expedition 11 crew in Earth orbit.
Crowds welcome the three-man Soyuz crew upon arrival at the launch pad for boarding the spacecraft. (1min 43sec file)
The three space fliers depart the suitup facility and board the bus that will drive them to the launch pad. (54sec file)
A delegation of Russian and American officials talk with the crew before departing for the launch pad. (2min 31sec file)
The three men don their launch and entry spacesuits and undergo checks in preparation for flight. (3min 09sec file)
The crew members participate in pre-launch traditions before departing their quarters and head for the suitup facility. (2min 33sec file)
The Expedition 11 crew's Soyuz rocket is transported by locomotive from its assembly hangar to the Baikonur Cosmodrome launch pad and lifted upright in preparation for blastoff to the International Space Station. (4min 37sec file)
Technicians attach the escape tower and finish assembling the three-stage Soyuz rocket to launch Expedition 11. (1min 05sec file)
The Expedition 11 crewmembers don their launch suits and go aboard the Soyuz spacecraft for a pre-launch fit check. (3min 39sec file)
This narrated movie previews the key objectives and events planned during the Expedition 11 mission aboard the International Space Station, including return of the space shuttle. (6min 42sec file)
Take a behind-the-scenes look at the next two men who will live aboard the space station in this movie that profiles the lives of the Expedition 11 crew. (5min 29sec file)
Expedition 11 commander Sergei Krikalev, flight engineer John Phillips and Soyuz taxi crewmember Roberto Vittori hold a pre-flight news conference in Houston. Topics included problems with the shuttle safe haven concept. (42min 23sec file)
International Space Station officials at Johnson Space Center provide a detailed preview of the Expedition 11 mission during this pre-launch press conference. (48min 54sec file)
