[sarex] Exp 9 to Leave ISS, Return to Earth Saturday 23 October 2004

[Arthur Z Rowe <n1orc@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Submitted by Arthur - N1ORC - Amsat A/C #31468

* Expedition 9 to Leave ISS, Return to Earth Saturday*
Expedition 9 Commander Gennady Padalka and NASA ISS Science Officer Mike 
Fincke will hand over International Space Station operations to the 
Expedition 10 crew and return to Earth on Saturday.

Expedition 9, along with Russian Space Forces Test Cosmonaut Yuri 
Shargin, are scheduled to leave the Station and return to Earth this 
weekend aboard the ISS Soyuz 8 spacecraft -- the same ship that 
delivered Padalka and Fincke to the ISS in April. Undocking is set for 
4:08 p.m. CDT (2108 GMT) Saturday and landing is scheduled for 7:36 p.m. 
CDT Saturday (0036 GMT Sunday) in Kazakhstan.

Since the arrival of Expedition 10 -- Commander Leroy Chiao and Flight 
Engineer Salizhan Sharipov -- on Oct. 15, the two crews have conducted 
joint operations and handover activities. Shargin arrived with Chiao and 
Sharipov and has conducted science experiments at the ISS.

Chiao and Sharipov will officially take charge of Station operations on 
Saturday when Expedition 9 enters the Soyuz and the hatches are closed 
for the final time at about 1 p.m. CDT (1800 GMT). The two crews marked 
the change of command with a ceremony Friday aboard the Station.

Check out NASA TV's schedule 
<http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/MM_NTV_Breaking.html> for 
Saturday's coverage air times.

Latest International Space Station Status Report 
<http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/spacenews/reports/issreports/2004/index.html>.
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