ISS to get new crew
2004-10-01 13:06
Moscow - The Soyuz TMA-5 spacecraft carrying a replacement crew to the International Space Station (ISS) will be put into space on October 14 after technical difficulties postponed the launch, Russia's space agency said on Friday.
"All the technical problems have been solved and the launch will take place on October 14 at 07:06, Moscow time (03:06 GMT)," Russian Federal Space Agency spokesperson Vyacheslav Davidenko said.
The launch of Soyuz TMA-5, which will carry two Russian and one American astronauts to the ISS, was scheduled for October 9 but postponed due to technical difficulties with the craft's stowing system.
The spacecraft will take off from the Baikonur launching pad, in Kazakhstan, and will remain 193 days in orbit, Davidenko said.
Salizhan Sharipov and Leroy Chiao will replace Russia's Gennady Padalka and America's Michael Fincke, who have been in orbit since April, while Yury Shargin will spend only 10 days on the space station during the relief of the crews.
Padalka, Fincke and Shargin are due to land in the steppes of Kazakhstan on October 24 on board the landing capsule of Soyuz TMA-4, which had brought the previous crew to the ISS in April, Davidenko said.
Russia, the United States and the European Space Agency are among the main partners in the 16-nation ISS project.