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The Mission




Mission: Expedition 9
Spacecraft: Soyuz TMA-4
Launch: April 19, 2004
Time: 0318:47 GMT (11:18:47 p.m. EDT on 18th)
Site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
Satellite feed: AMC 9, Transponder 9, C-band

Launch events timeline

Flight Day 1 schedule

Flight Day 2 schedule

Flight Day 3 schedule

Expedition 9 science plan

European DELTA mission



The Crew




Russia's Gennady Padalka and NASA's Mike Fincke will live aboard the International Space Station for a half-year as Expedition 9 while Europe's Andre Kuipers will stay for a week before returning to Earth.

Exp. 9 commander Gennady Padalka

Exp. 9 science officer Mike Fincke

Visiting crewmember Andre Kuipers



The Launcher




The venerable Russian Soyuz rocket will deliver the Soyuz TMA-4 capsule into Earth orbit to dock with the International Space Station.

Rocket fact sheet

Soyuz spacecraft info



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Flight Day 1 schedule
NASA PRESS KIT
Posted: April 15, 2004

Orbit 1

Post insertion: Deployment of solar panels, antennas and docking probe

  • Crew monitors all deployments
  • Crew reports on pressurization of OMS/RCS and ECLSS systems and crew health. Entry thermal sensors are manually deactivated
  • Ground provides initial orbital insertion data from tracking

Orbit 2

Systems Checkout: IR Att Sensors, Kurs, Angular Accels, "Display" TV Downlink System, OMS engine control system, Manual Attitude Control Test

  • Crew monitors all systems tests and confirms onboard indications
  • Crew performs manual RHC stick inputs for attitude control test
  • Ingress into HM, activate HM CO2 scrubber and doff Sokols
  • A/G, R/T and Recorded TLM and Display TV downlink
  • Radar and radio transponder tracking
Manual maneuver to +Y to Sun and initiate a 2 deg/sec yaw rotation. MCS is deactivated after rate is established.

Orbit 3

Terminate +Y solar rotation, reactivate MCS and establish LVLH attitude reference (auto maneuver sequence)

  • Crew monitors LVLH attitude reference build up
  • Burn data command upload for DV1 and DV2 (attitude, TIG Delta V's)
  • Form 14 preburn emergency deorbit pad read up
  • A/G, R/T and Recorded TLM and Display TV downlink
  • Radar and radio transponder tracking
Auto maneuver to DV1 burn attitude (TIG - 8 minutes) while LOS
  • Crew monitor only, no manual action nominally required DV1 phasing burn while LOS
  • Crew monitor only, no manual action nominally required

Orbit 4

Auto maneuver to DV2 burn attitude (TIG - 8 minutes) while LOS

  • Crew monitor only, no manual action nominally required DV2 phasing burn while LOS
  • Crew monitor only, no manual action nominally required
Crew report on burn performance upon AOS
  • HM and DM pressure checks read down
  • Post burn Form 23 (AOS/LOS pad), Form 14 and "Globe" corrections voiced up
  • A/G, R/T and Recorded TLM and Display TV downlink
  • Radar and radio transponder tracking
Manual maneuver to +Y to Sun and initiate a 2 deg/sec yaw rotation. MCS is deactivated after rate is established.

External boresight TV camera ops check (while LOS)

Meal

Orbit 5

Last pass on Russian tracking range for Flight Day 1

Report on TV camera test and crew health

Sokol suit clean up

  • A/G, R/T and Recorded TLM and Display TV downlink
  • Radar and radio transponder tracking

Orbit 6-12

Crew Sleep, off of Russian tracking range

  • Emergency VHF2 comm available through NASA VHF Network





MISSION STATUS CENTER