A new multinational crew floated into the International Space Station tonight, kicking off a sixth-month stint during which the frontier explorers will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first human expedition into orbit.Friends, family members and dignitaries gathered at the Russian Mission Control Center outside Moscow to send their best wishes to Russian cosmonaut Dmitry Kondratyev, U.S. astronaut Catherine "Cady" Coleman and European Space Agency astronaut Paulo Nespoli of Italy.
"I want to congratulate you an a super launch and docking. You guys look great. It's great to see you on that big space station," said Kirk Shireman, deputy manager of NASA's space station program office.
"Hey Kirk, it's nice to talk to you," Coleman replied. "It is so beautiful."
The arriving trio joined U.S. astronaut Scott Kelly and Russian cosmonauts Alexander Kaleri and Oleg Skripochka, who have been living and working on the station for 68 days.The six now make up the full crew of the 26th expedition to the station, which has been staffed continuously now since the outpost was opened for business by Expedition 1 crew William Shepherd, Sergei Krikalev and Yuri Gidzenko on Nov. 2, 2000.
Heavy traffic is expected at the station during the next two months. Robotic space freighters from Russian, Europe and Japan are due to arrive, and if all goes well, shuttle Discovery and six astronauts will deliver a critical new stowage module in early February.
Said Shireman: "You guys have fun, and we'll be sending lots of vehicles your way here very shortly."
"Sounds good," Coleman said.
The three newly arrived astronauts will be onboard the station April 12 -- the 50th anniversary of Yuri Gagarin's launch on the first human space flight in 1961.
"I think anniversaries are special because they make us stop and think about our perspective, and realize that we’ve come a long way," Coleman said in a preflight interview.
Kondratyev, Coleman and Nespoli are due back on Earth in May.
3 comments:
Ironic that 2011 is the 50th and last year of the American Human Space Program!!! SAD!!!
Anonymous 8:50 AM: Like they say "Everything happens for a reason." SAD indeed that NASA administrators made stupid choices mixing science & politics ending the once known successful Space program. Now all its known for is long delays & the inevitable end to jobs in several states.
What I think is a sad note is Charlie Bolden said NO civil servants would lose any jobs! Here's a big story for you, I suddenly seen 20 new faces with temp badges that have been hired as civil servants by NASA for KSC! Not one looks over 30 and think its great to be starting at KSC! So if the money has stayed the same as 2010 then why cut whats needed, force lay-offs of NON-civil servant workers (which has done everything since the beginning only with NASA oversight)and start hiring more protected personnel? All NASA personnel do at KSC is sit in plush offices in suits and read reports of all the contractors work being done!
Charlie you better get your priorities straight or you will sink whats left of space flight ANYWHERE in the US.
As to the redecorating that was done...yes to headquarters for NASA personnel. Every building out there is filled with asbestos and is falling apart! if we dont fix them we need to tear them down and I know you will never find and NASA personnel driving fancy cars doing any demo work! NASA pays huge salaries to people (some of which dont even have more than a HS diploma)I'm talking over 100k to sit in an office and read papers and go for long walks or work out in the health clubs that are off limits to anyone BUT NASA personnel.
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