Jacques van Oene
April 18th 05, 10:13 PM
OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE
about the Soyuz TMA-6 manned spacecraft launch to the ISS
15.04.2005, Baikonur Cosmodrome.
The Soyuz TMA-6 manned transport spacecraft developed and manufactured at
S.P. Korolev Rocket & Space Corporation Energia was launched from the launch
complex of Site #1 known as the Gagarin start.
The launch of the Souyz-FG integrated launch vehicle with the manned
spacecraft was accomplished at 04:46:27 Moscow time.
The launch is intended to deliver the main expedition crew-11 (ISS-11) to
the International Space Station; to carry out a planned replacement of
expedition crew-10 (ISS-10) and the Soyuz TMA-5, which has been operating
within the International Space Station since October 16, 2004, performing
functions of the crew rescue vehicle; performance of activities under the
visiting crew 8 program (VC-8), including conduct of experiments and
research within the Eneida project, maintenance of the functionality of the
station and its systems.
At present, the station transport-engineering support is provided solely by
Russian vehicles - Soyuz TMA manned spacecraft and Progress M cargo
vehicles - while the ISS mission program is being implemented with a reduced
size (to two men) of the main crew, a reduced mass and complement of cargoes
being delivered and returned, the number and scopes of space experiments and
researches performed.
At a period of the ISS-11 expedition performance the U.S. party plans to
recommence flights of the shuttles: Discovery STS-114 (May 15-25) and
Atlantis STS-121 (July 12-21). It is expected that during the second flight
a long-duration mission of an ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut will
begin to verify integration and readiness of the Zvezda service module
equipment for joint operations with the first European cargo vehicle Jules
Verne.
The Soyuz TMA-6 crew includes Sergei Krikalev (spacecraft commander, ISS-11
commander, the sixth space flight), U.S astronaut John Phillips (ISS-11
flight-engineer, spacecraft flight-engineer-1, the second space flight) and
ESA astronaut, citizen of Italy Roberto Vittori (spacecraft
flight-engineer-2, the second space flight). Roberto Vittori is to work at
the station under the visiting crew program and to return to the ground with
the ISS-10 on board the Soyuz TMA-5 spacecraft.
The major tasks of the ISS-11 expedition include: replacement of the ISS-10
crew, maintenance of the station's manned mode throughout the scheduled 175
days to the next crew rotation, support of undocking operations of Soyuz
TMA-5, Progress M-52, Soyuz TMA-6 spacecraft, docking, unloading and
attached activities aboard the station with Progress M-53, Progress M-54,
Soyuz TMA-7 spacecraft, performance of one EVA; implementation of the
program of science and application research and experiments, support of
activities under the visiting expedition programs and commercial contracts,
return to the ground on board the Soyuz TMA-6 spacecraft.
The Soyuz TMA-6 spacecraft is inserted into a near-earth orbit with
parameters: the inclination of 51.66°, minimum altitude of 198.55 km,
maximum altitude of 245.50 km, period of 88.68 min.
The ISS-10 crew consisting of Russian cosmonaut Salizhan Sharipov (Soyuz
TMA-5 commander, ISS-10 flight-engineer) and NASA astronaut Leroy Chiao
(Soyuz TMA-5 flight-engineer, ISS-10 commander) performed required
operations to prepare the orbital complex for docking.
The spacecraft docking is scheduled for April 17, 2005. The estimated time
of a contact of the Pirs docking module of the ISS in-orbit complex is
approximately 06:19.
The decision on the launch was made by the State Commission based on the
Technical Management conclusion on the readiness of the complex and ground
infrastructure components involved in the ISS program implementation.
The Technical Management includes general and chief designers, managers of
enterprises - designers and manufacturers of complex's components, systems
and assemblies.
Representatives of the Federal Space Agency, NASA, ESA and other foreign
space agencies, business circles of Russia, Italy, as well as leading
Russian and foreign information agencies and TV companies observed the
launch process.
The Main Operative Management Group (MOMG) located at the Moscow Mission
Control Center (MCC-M) and interfacing with specialists of the U.S. Mission
Control Center (MCC-H) performs the spacecraft flight control.
MOMG includes managers and leading specialists of S.P. Korolev RSC Energia,
specialists of other enterprises and organizations.
The Soyuz TMA-6 flight is proceeding in line with the approved program, its
onboard systems operate with no comments. The crewmembers feel well.
--
--------------
Jacques :-)
www.spacepatches.info
about the Soyuz TMA-6 manned spacecraft launch to the ISS
15.04.2005, Baikonur Cosmodrome.
The Soyuz TMA-6 manned transport spacecraft developed and manufactured at
S.P. Korolev Rocket & Space Corporation Energia was launched from the launch
complex of Site #1 known as the Gagarin start.
The launch of the Souyz-FG integrated launch vehicle with the manned
spacecraft was accomplished at 04:46:27 Moscow time.
The launch is intended to deliver the main expedition crew-11 (ISS-11) to
the International Space Station; to carry out a planned replacement of
expedition crew-10 (ISS-10) and the Soyuz TMA-5, which has been operating
within the International Space Station since October 16, 2004, performing
functions of the crew rescue vehicle; performance of activities under the
visiting crew 8 program (VC-8), including conduct of experiments and
research within the Eneida project, maintenance of the functionality of the
station and its systems.
At present, the station transport-engineering support is provided solely by
Russian vehicles - Soyuz TMA manned spacecraft and Progress M cargo
vehicles - while the ISS mission program is being implemented with a reduced
size (to two men) of the main crew, a reduced mass and complement of cargoes
being delivered and returned, the number and scopes of space experiments and
researches performed.
At a period of the ISS-11 expedition performance the U.S. party plans to
recommence flights of the shuttles: Discovery STS-114 (May 15-25) and
Atlantis STS-121 (July 12-21). It is expected that during the second flight
a long-duration mission of an ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut will
begin to verify integration and readiness of the Zvezda service module
equipment for joint operations with the first European cargo vehicle Jules
Verne.
The Soyuz TMA-6 crew includes Sergei Krikalev (spacecraft commander, ISS-11
commander, the sixth space flight), U.S astronaut John Phillips (ISS-11
flight-engineer, spacecraft flight-engineer-1, the second space flight) and
ESA astronaut, citizen of Italy Roberto Vittori (spacecraft
flight-engineer-2, the second space flight). Roberto Vittori is to work at
the station under the visiting crew program and to return to the ground with
the ISS-10 on board the Soyuz TMA-5 spacecraft.
The major tasks of the ISS-11 expedition include: replacement of the ISS-10
crew, maintenance of the station's manned mode throughout the scheduled 175
days to the next crew rotation, support of undocking operations of Soyuz
TMA-5, Progress M-52, Soyuz TMA-6 spacecraft, docking, unloading and
attached activities aboard the station with Progress M-53, Progress M-54,
Soyuz TMA-7 spacecraft, performance of one EVA; implementation of the
program of science and application research and experiments, support of
activities under the visiting expedition programs and commercial contracts,
return to the ground on board the Soyuz TMA-6 spacecraft.
The Soyuz TMA-6 spacecraft is inserted into a near-earth orbit with
parameters: the inclination of 51.66°, minimum altitude of 198.55 km,
maximum altitude of 245.50 km, period of 88.68 min.
The ISS-10 crew consisting of Russian cosmonaut Salizhan Sharipov (Soyuz
TMA-5 commander, ISS-10 flight-engineer) and NASA astronaut Leroy Chiao
(Soyuz TMA-5 flight-engineer, ISS-10 commander) performed required
operations to prepare the orbital complex for docking.
The spacecraft docking is scheduled for April 17, 2005. The estimated time
of a contact of the Pirs docking module of the ISS in-orbit complex is
approximately 06:19.
The decision on the launch was made by the State Commission based on the
Technical Management conclusion on the readiness of the complex and ground
infrastructure components involved in the ISS program implementation.
The Technical Management includes general and chief designers, managers of
enterprises - designers and manufacturers of complex's components, systems
and assemblies.
Representatives of the Federal Space Agency, NASA, ESA and other foreign
space agencies, business circles of Russia, Italy, as well as leading
Russian and foreign information agencies and TV companies observed the
launch process.
The Main Operative Management Group (MOMG) located at the Moscow Mission
Control Center (MCC-M) and interfacing with specialists of the U.S. Mission
Control Center (MCC-H) performs the spacecraft flight control.
MOMG includes managers and leading specialists of S.P. Korolev RSC Energia,
specialists of other enterprises and organizations.
The Soyuz TMA-6 flight is proceeding in line with the approved program, its
onboard systems operate with no comments. The crewmembers feel well.
--
--------------
Jacques :-)
www.spacepatches.info