The International Space Station (ISS) crew is getting ready to have company and to head back to Earth. Aboard the ISS since April, Expedition 7 Commander Yuri Malenchenko, RK3DUP, and NASA ISS Science Officer Ed Lu, KC5WKJ, this week have been preparing for the arrival of their replacements–the Expedition 8 team of Mike Foale, KB5UAC, and Alexander Kaleri, U8MIR. This week, the Expedition 7 crew also took time to extend wishes for good fortune to China’s first astronaut, Yang Liwei.
“That is very good news. It’s nice to see this happen,” said Lu, during a conversation with ground controllers in which he also expressed wishes in Chinese that Yang Liwei “have a safe journey” in space. “From one spacefaring nation to another, we wish them congratulations.” After sharing space with the ISS for 14 orbits, Yang’s Shenzhou V space capsule landed safely in Mongolia October 16.
Foale, Kaleri and European Space Agency Astronaut Pedro Duque, KC5RGG, are set to head into space themselves Saturday, October 18, at 0538 UTC aboard a Russian Soyuz transporter. They’ll launch from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. After docking with the ISS on October 20 and a week of crew-change activity, Malenchenko, Lu and Duque will return to Earth aboard the Soyuz vehicle that’s now attached to the ISS.
While Duque is onboard the ISS, he will attempt Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) http://www.rac.ca/ariss/ school group contacts October 23 with Ceip Seixalbo School and October 26 with the Casa de las Palabrabas museum, both in his native Spain. Duque will use the special event ED4ISS call sign issued to him by his native country.
The English-born Foale, 46, will serve as the Expedition 8 commander and NASA ISS science officer. Kaleri, 47, will be the Soyuz commander and ISS flight engineer. Both are Mir veterans with long-term spaceflight experience.
With the NASA shuttle fleet still grounded for another year, two-person crews will be the rule. The Soyuz, which carries three passengers, will remain the prime crew transport system. Russian Progress rockets will transport needed supplies. Foale and Kaleri will spend approximately six months aboard the ISS.
ARISS Russian delegate Sergej Samburov, RV3DR, completed final Amateur Radio training with the Expedition 8 crew on September 29 in Russia. Several US amateurs recently enjoyed casual contacts with NA1SS, as confirmed by Lu. They included KF4LGA, WB8OTH, N8DZM, and KG4IIE.