Seraphim
04-29-2004, 06:41 PM
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In this image from television Expedition 8 flight engineer Alexander Kaleri, left, European Space Agency Astronaut Andre Kuipers, center, and Expedition 8 commander Michael Foale look back to the International Space Station (news - web sites) after making their way into Soyuz spacecraft for return to earth, Thusday, April 29, 2004. (AP Photo/NASA (news - web sites) TV)
By BAGILA BUKHARBAYEVA, Associated Press Writer
KOSTANAI, Kazakhstan - A Russian Soyuz spacecraft carrying a U.S.-Russian-Dutch crew rocketed toward Earth early Friday, after undocking from the international space station.
The Soyuz pulled away from the station at 12:52 a.m. Moscow time (4:52 p.m. EST Thursday), according to footage shown at Russian mission control outside Moscow.
The swift homeward journey is to take about 3.5 hours, ending on the vast, wide-open steppes of Kazakhstan.
The snug capsule is carrying American astronaut Michael Foale and Russian cosmonaut Alexander Kaleri, who spent some six months on the ISS, and European Space Agency astronaut Andre Kuipers of the Netherlands, who is returning after a nine-day mission on the station.
It will be the third time an American astronaut comes back to Earth aboard a Russian craft since the U.S. manned space program grounded its shuttle fleet following the February 2003 Columbia disaster.
The landing of the space station's previous American-Russian crew in October was smooth and on target — unlike the dramatic landing of the first American astronaut in a Russian Soyuz capsule in May 2003, when a computer error sent the crew on a wild descent 250 miles off-course.
Col. Mikhail Polukhin, coordinator of the Russian space agency's search and rescue operations, said Thursday his men were prepared for any situation but added there was no cause for worry so far.
"Our main fear is about weather, but the forecast has been good," he said.
The Russian space agency is prepared for three landing possibilities: the most likely landing spot is 29 miles northeast of the town of Arkalyk — a base for five main search and rescue helicopters.
The total operation will involve 160 people, eight helicopters, two aircraft and two off-terrain vehicles.
Russian space officials said Wednesday that the Soyuz spacecraft, that has been in space for six months, was leaking helium. But both Russian and American space officials said the leak was very minor and would not affect the landing.
"There is no risk," NASA (news - web sites) spokesman Robert Navias said in Kostanai.
Helium is used to pressurize the Soyuz craft's fuel tanks for its de-orbit descent. Navias said the leak was discovered after the craft's October launch but said there was "plenty of helium" onboard to allow normal landing.
Foale and Kaleri will formally hand over the station to Russian Gennady Padalka and American Michael Fincke when they climb into the Soyuz TMA-3 on Thursday and close the hatches between the station and the spacecraft.
Kuipers was on the station under a commercial agreement between ESA and the Russian space agency.
In this image from television Expedition 8 flight engineer Alexander Kaleri, left, European Space Agency Astronaut Andre Kuipers, center, and Expedition 8 commander Michael Foale look back to the International Space Station (news - web sites) after making their way into Soyuz spacecraft for return to earth, Thusday, April 29, 2004. (AP Photo/NASA (news - web sites) TV)
By BAGILA BUKHARBAYEVA, Associated Press Writer
KOSTANAI, Kazakhstan - A Russian Soyuz spacecraft carrying a U.S.-Russian-Dutch crew rocketed toward Earth early Friday, after undocking from the international space station.
The Soyuz pulled away from the station at 12:52 a.m. Moscow time (4:52 p.m. EST Thursday), according to footage shown at Russian mission control outside Moscow.
The swift homeward journey is to take about 3.5 hours, ending on the vast, wide-open steppes of Kazakhstan.
The snug capsule is carrying American astronaut Michael Foale and Russian cosmonaut Alexander Kaleri, who spent some six months on the ISS, and European Space Agency astronaut Andre Kuipers of the Netherlands, who is returning after a nine-day mission on the station.
It will be the third time an American astronaut comes back to Earth aboard a Russian craft since the U.S. manned space program grounded its shuttle fleet following the February 2003 Columbia disaster.
The landing of the space station's previous American-Russian crew in October was smooth and on target — unlike the dramatic landing of the first American astronaut in a Russian Soyuz capsule in May 2003, when a computer error sent the crew on a wild descent 250 miles off-course.
Col. Mikhail Polukhin, coordinator of the Russian space agency's search and rescue operations, said Thursday his men were prepared for any situation but added there was no cause for worry so far.
"Our main fear is about weather, but the forecast has been good," he said.
The Russian space agency is prepared for three landing possibilities: the most likely landing spot is 29 miles northeast of the town of Arkalyk — a base for five main search and rescue helicopters.
The total operation will involve 160 people, eight helicopters, two aircraft and two off-terrain vehicles.
Russian space officials said Wednesday that the Soyuz spacecraft, that has been in space for six months, was leaking helium. But both Russian and American space officials said the leak was very minor and would not affect the landing.
"There is no risk," NASA (news - web sites) spokesman Robert Navias said in Kostanai.
Helium is used to pressurize the Soyuz craft's fuel tanks for its de-orbit descent. Navias said the leak was discovered after the craft's October launch but said there was "plenty of helium" onboard to allow normal landing.
Foale and Kaleri will formally hand over the station to Russian Gennady Padalka and American Michael Fincke when they climb into the Soyuz TMA-3 on Thursday and close the hatches between the station and the spacecraft.
Kuipers was on the station under a commercial agreement between ESA and the Russian space agency.