[sarex] Soyuz Delivers Expedition 9 to Space Station

[Arthur Z Rowe <n1orc@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Submitted by Arthur - N1ORC - Amsat #31468

*Soyuz Delivers Expedition 9 to Space Station*
Expedition 8 Commander Michael Foale and Flight Engineer Alexander 
Kaleri welcomed their replacements, the Expedition 9 crewmembers, aboard 
the International Space Station this morning. This marks the beginning 
of a six-month stay at the Station for Expedition 9 Commander Gennady 
Padalka and NASA ISS Science Officer Mike Fincke and the beginning of 
the end of Expedition 8's tour of duty.

Expedition 9, along with European Space Agency (ESA) Astronaut André 
Kuipers, entered the Station at 1 a.m. CDT (0600 GMT) following the 
completion of leak checks between the ISS and the Soyuz spacecraft in 
which they arrived. The Soyuz docked with the Earth-facing port on the 
Zarya Control Module at 12:01 CDT (0501 GMT) this morning.

The Expedition 8 and 9 crews will spend the next nine days conducting 
joint operations and handover activities, including briefings about ISS 
systems. Meanwhile, Kuipers, who is flying under a commercial agreement 
between ESA and the Federal Space Agency of Russia, will conduct 
experiments for ESA.

The Expedition 8 and 9 crews will spend the next nine days conducting 
joint operations and handover activities, including briefings about ISS 
systems. Meanwhile, Kuipers will conduct experiments for ESA.

Foale, Kaleri and Kuipers will climb into the ISS Soyuz 7 spacecraft 
April 29 and return to Earth. Expedition 9 will spend almost six months 
on the Station before it is replaced by Expedition 10 in October.

Check out NASA TV's schedule </spacenews/releases/2004/N04-050.html> for 
coverage of upcoming ISS activities. NASA TV will air an in-flight news 
conference at 7:41 a.m. CDT (1241 GMT) Friday.



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