BAIKONUR, Kazakhstan — A Russian space capsule blasted off Wednesday into the afternoon skies of Central Asia on a mission to expand the permanent human presence in space.
The Soyuz craft carrying Canadian Robert Thirsk, Russian Roman Romanenko and Belgian Frank De Winne soared above Kazakhstan’s southern steppe to begin a journey to the space station.
The capsule is expected to dock with the space station sometime Friday.
Soyuz’s three astronauts will join the three crew members already on the station, forming a six-member permanent crew for the first time.
The Soyuz capsule will be hooked to the space station until it is used in the future by astronauts returning to Earth.
The station’s newest crew members will further consolidate the international credentials of the space station, which is currently occupied by American astronaut Michael Barratt, Russia’s Gennady Padalka and Japan’s Koichi Wakata.
Experts also say the enlarged crew will allow for greater advances in scientific research.
"The kinds of science, the amount of science — all of that is going to be expanded,” NASA spokesman Rob Navias said.
by the associated press
The Soyuz craft carrying Canadian Robert Thirsk, Russian Roman Romanenko and Belgian Frank De Winne soared above Kazakhstan’s southern steppe to begin a journey to the space station.
The capsule is expected to dock with the space station sometime Friday.
Soyuz’s three astronauts will join the three crew members already on the station, forming a six-member permanent crew for the first time.
The Soyuz capsule will be hooked to the space station until it is used in the future by astronauts returning to Earth.
The station’s newest crew members will further consolidate the international credentials of the space station, which is currently occupied by American astronaut Michael Barratt, Russia’s Gennady Padalka and Japan’s Koichi Wakata.
Experts also say the enlarged crew will allow for greater advances in scientific research.
"The kinds of science, the amount of science — all of that is going to be expanded,” NASA spokesman Rob Navias said.
by the associated press
No comments:
Post a Comment