Money Matters, Simplified.
Russian Soyuz spacecraft carries new crewmates to ISS
by Pankhuri kapoor - December 21, 2009 - comments
The Russian Soyuz TMA-17 spacecraft blasts off from its launchpad at the Baikonur cosmodrome Dec. 21, 2009
Moscow, December 21 -- Russia’s Soyuz TMA-17 spacecraft carrying three new flight engineers for the International Space Station (ISS), was launched early Monday from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
Timothy Creamer, a NASA astronaut, Oleg Kotov, a Russian cosmonaut, and Soichi Noguchi from Japan were onboard the rocket that was successfully launched and is expected to reach the space station in 2 days.
“Everything's fine onboard the vehicle. Everybody feels great, no problems, no issues,” Oleg Kotov, the flight commander, radioed shortly after the rocket launched into the sky.
While two out of the three space flyers are space veterans, this is the first space trip for Timothy Creamer. He has promised to keep twittering about his experiences from the ISS.
Mission to be accomplished
The three astronauts are to join the two Expedition 22 crew members, Maxim Surayev and Jeffrey Williams, who are already working at the space station as flight engineers and will stay in space till May 2010.
In the time span of 161 days in space, the crew members will dock two Russian freighters and three U.S. space shuttles, conduct more than 40 scientific experiments and one spacewalk.
A Russian MIM-1 small research module called ‘Rassvet’, which means ‘Dawn’, is also scheduled to dock at the International Space Station in May 2010.
The 7.9-ton research module will help in conducting a series of scientific experiments, especially those of biotechnology and material science. It will also deposit experiment equipment at the ISS.
Russia’s Oleg Kotov, a doctor, also plans to do some medical studies while in space.
This is what he says, “I am going to continue my medical research. I have my own medical experiment program.”
Russia’s debut winter launch
“Due to increased times of manned launches and consideration on fuel efficiency, the launch was scheduled for a late winter night,” reports Anatoly Perminov, head of Russia's Federal Space Agency Roscosmos.
Till now, the Russian space centre has launched all its spacecrafts in the other 3 seasons and it is the first time that they hurtled a rocket into the space in winter.
Christmas celebration in space
“We are the messengers of Father Frost and Santa. We will deliver a Santa gift bag and a Christmas tree,” says Kotov.
The NASA website has also launched virtual postcards that will help the people on Earth in sending their Christmas greetings to the ‘humanity's outpost in space’.