New Space Station Crew Launches

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Expedition 39/40 Trio’s Arrival at Space Station Delayed

The next trio of crew members destined for the International Space Station is now looking forward to a Thursday arrival at the orbiting laboratory after their Soyuz spacecraft was unable to complete its third thruster burn to fine-tune its approach.

Soyuz Commander Alexander Skvortsov and Flight Engineers Oleg Artemyev of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) and Steve Swanson of NASA are in good spirits aboard the Soyuz TMA-12M spacecraft, and their colleagues already aboard the station were informed of the new plan. Expedition 39 Commander Koichi Wakata of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and Flight Engineers Rick Mastracchio of NASA and Mikhail Tyurin of Roscosmos were expecting their new crewmates to dock at 11:05 p.m. EDT Tuesday night, but now will need to wait a little longer.

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[toast]

Yeah, spaceflight isn`t just glory. 3 ppl in a very small compartment for 2 days and without a toilet.

Are the astronauts some kind of medicated to avoid at least the "big business" for that period?

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Are the astronauts some kind of medicated to avoid at least the "big business" for that period?

No, because the Soyuz DOES have a toilet.

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Expedition 39/40 Launches to the International Space Station

Expedition 39/40 Soyuz Commander Alexander Skvortsov of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos), Flight Engineer Steve Swanson of NASA and Flight Engineer Oleg Artemyev of Roscosmos launched on the Russian Soyuz TMA-12M spacecraft on March 25, Kazakh time from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan to begin a six-hour journey to the International Space Station. Once aboard the orbital outpost, the trio will start a six-month mission.

Credit: NASA

Source: NASA - Multimedia

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Soyuz Docking Delayed Till Thursday as Station Crew Adjusts Schedule

Three crew members headed to the International Space Station are safe and healthy as they continue on their journey to the orbiting outpost today. All systems on their Soyuz spacecraft appear to be functioning normally, and Russian flight controllers confirmed this morning that the Soyuz TMA-12M vehicle performed two rendezvous maneuvers required to put the spacecraft on a trajectory for docking at approximately 7:58 p.m. EDT Thursday, March 27, U.S. time.

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Soyuz Docking With Station Delayed to Thursday

Space Station Mission Operations Integration Manager Kenny Todd talks with Public Affairs Officer Brandi Dean about the postponement of the Soyuz's docking with the International Space Station.

NASA astronaut Steve Swanson and Russian cosmonauts Alexander Skvortsov and Oleg Artemyev launched aboard the Soyuz TMA-12M on Tuesday at 5:17 p.m. EDT from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The three were expected to dock Tuesday night but reverted to a backup 34-orbit rendezvous, which will result in an arrival and docking on Thursday.

Credit: NASA

Source: NASA - Multimedia

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New Soyuz Trio Completes Two Day Trip to Station

A new trio of Expedition 39 flight engineers has arrived at the International Space Station after a two-day, 34-orbit trip. Soyuz Commander Alexander Skvortsov was at the controls of the Soyuz TMA-12M spacecraft when it docked automatically to the Poisk docking compartment at 7:53 p.m. EDT. Skvortsov was flanked by Flight Engineers Steve Swanson and Oleg Artemyev during the two day flight.

The original plan for the Soyuz to arrive at the station in just four orbits over six hours defaulted to the more traditional 34-orbit plan after the Soyuz spacecraft failed to conduct an engine firing early in the rendezvous sequence following launch to refine its orbit.

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Expedition 39 Docks to Station After Two Day Trip

Expedition 39/40 Soyuz Commander Alexander Skvortsov of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos), Flight Engineer Steve Swanson of NASA and Flight Engineer Oleg Artemyev of Roscosmos arrived at the International Space Station at 7:53 EDT on March 27. They docked their Soyuz TMA-12M spacecraft to the Poisk module on the Russian segment of the complex.

Credit: NASA

Source: NASA - Multimedia

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Expedition 39/40 Crew Opens Hatch to the International Space Station

A few hours after docking their Soyuz TMA-12M, Skvortsov, Expedition 39/40 Soyuz Commander Alexander Skvortsov of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos), Flight Engineer Steve Swanson of NASA and Flight Engineer Oleg Artemyev of Roscosmos opened the hatches and were greeted by station Commander Koichi Wakata of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, NASA Flight Engineer Rick Mastracchio and Flight Engineer Mikhail Tyurin of Roscosmos. As the hatches were opened, the families of the newly arrived crew and American and Russian space officials viewed the activities from the Russian Mission Control Center.

Credit: NASA

Source: NASA - Multimedia

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Expanded Expedition 39 Crew Relaxes After Busy Soyuz Activities

The newly expanded Expedition 39 crew is resting Friday after launch and docking activities for the Soyuz TMA-12M spacecraft this week. The International Space Station’s newest arrivals spent two days in space on their trek to join their orbiting crewmates.

The new trio docked Thursday to the Poisk docking compartment at 7:53 p.m. EDT and opened the hatches less than two hours later to greet Commander Koichi Wakata and Flight Engineers Rick Mastracchio and Mikhail Tyurin.

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Expedition 39 Begins First Full Week as Six-Person Crew

Expedition 39 began its first full week as a six-person crew Monday with experiment activity while the three newest crew members acclimate themselves to living and working aboard the International Space Station.

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