BY JUSTIN RAY

Follow the Expedition 11 crew's launch to the International Space Station aboard the Russian Soyuz TMA-6 spacecraft. Reload this page for the latest.

Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: FIERY RE-ENTRY OF SOYUZ AS SEEN FROM SPACE QT
VIDEO: SOYUZ UNDOCKS FROM STATION QT
VIDEO: SUNDAY'S FAREWELL CEREMONY QT
VIDEO: CHANGE OF COMMAND CEREMONY ABOARD ISS QT
VIDEO: EXPEDITION 10 RECAP NEWS CONFERENCE QT
AUDIO: LISTEN TO THE NEWS BRIEFING QT
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2328 GMT (7:28 p.m. EDT)

A further update from the lead flight surgeon tending to the crew is the Soyuz capsule actually did come to rest on its side. The landing spot was just 20 meters from a river. All three crew members are reported to be in good shape.

2320 GMT (7:20 p.m. EDT)

The crew has just landed in Arkalyk to undergo medical checks and post-flight routines. They are scheduled to travel onward to Star City outside Moscow in a few hours and be reunited with family members.

2236 GMT (6:36 p.m. EDT)

NASA spokesman Rob Navias in Arkalyk says the two lead choppers with the primary recovery forces have gotten the three crew members out of the capsule. The Soyuz landed in water and the area is not suitable for the full convoy, he said. So the crew will be flown out of the landing zone shortly as part of these alternate post-landing procedures put in place due to the miserable conditions where Soyuz has touched down.

2229 GMT (6:29 p.m. EDT)

One of the three crew members has exited the capsule. Due to muddy conditions at the landing site caused by heavy rain and recent snow melt, recovery forces have decided to chopper the crew to the nearby city of Arkalyk to conduct the initial post-flight medical exams.

2225 GMT (6:25 p.m. EDT)

The departing crew of the international space station safely returned to Earth aboard a Russian Soyuz capsule today, closing out a six-month stay in space with a spectacular re-entry. Read our full story.

2224 GMT (6:24 p.m. EDT)

The crew is reported to be in good health, according to Mission Control-Houston.

2214 GMT (6:14 p.m. EDT)

A recovery team flying aboard a convoy of Russian military helicopters have landed nearby Soyuz to begin assisting the crew out of the capsule. The spacecraft touched down and remained upright, unlike past missions in which capsules have tipped over.

Giant flood lights will be erected to illuminate the area since sunrise is more than two hours away. A medical tent will be set up near the capsule in which the crew can change out of its launch and entry suits. Russian technicians will open the module's hatch and begin to remove the crew, one by one. They will be seated in special reclining chairs near the capsule for initial medical tests and to provide an opportunity to begin readapting to Earth's gravity.

2209 GMT (6:09 p.m. EDT)

TOUCHDOWN CONFIRMED! The Russian Soyuz TMA-5 capsule has landed in north-central Kazakhstan, capping the six-month voyage of Expedition 10 aboard the International Space Station.

Expedition 10 commander Leroy Chiao and flight engineer Salizhan Sharipov are back on Earth after 193 days in orbit -- 191 of which were spent aboard the station. Visiting ESA researcher Roberto Vittori has returned after spending 10 days aloft conducting science experiments. He launched with the replacement Expedition 11 crew and flew home with Expedition 10.

2208 GMT (6:08 p.m. EDT)

Standing by for confirmation of landing.

2206 GMT (6:06 p.m. EDT)

At an altitude of about 12 meters, cockpit displays will tell Sharipov to prepare for the soft landing engine firing. Just one meter above the surface, and just seconds before touchdown, the six solid propellant engines are fired in a final braking maneuver, enabling the Soyuz to land to complete its mission, settling down at a velocity of about 1.5 meters per second.

2204 GMT (6:04 p.m. EDT)

Time to touchdown is about four minutes.

2200 GMT (6:00 p.m. EDT)

At an altitude of five kilometers, the module's heat shield is scheduled to be jettisoned. This is followed by the termination of the aerodynamic spin cycle and the dumping of any residual propellant from the Soyuz. Computers also will arm the module's seat shock absorbers in preparation for landing.

With the jettisoning of the capsule's heat shield, the Soyuz altimeter is exposed to the surface of the Earth. Using a reflector system, signals are bounced to the ground from the Soyuz and reflected back, providing the capsule's computers updated information on altitude and rate of descent.

2158 GMT (5:58 p.m. EDT)

Recovery forces have established communications with the Soyuz crew.

2157 GMT (5:57 p.m. EDT)

Once the drogue chute is jettisoned, the main parachute to be deployed. It is connected to the Descent Module by two harnesses, covers an area of about 1,000 square meters and slows descent to 7.2 meters/second.

Initially, the Descent Module will hang underneath the main parachute at a 30-degree angle with respect to the horizon for aerodynamic stability, but the bottommost harness will be severed a few minutes before landing, allowing the Descent Module to hang vertically through touchdown.

2154 GMT (5:54 p.m. EDT)

In the next few seconds, the onboard computers will start a commanded sequence for deployment of the capsule's parachutes at an altitude of about 10 kilometers. Two "pilot" parachutes are unfurled first, extracting a 24-square-meter drogue parachute. Within 16 seconds, the craft's fall will slow from 230 meters per second to about 80 m/s.

The parachute deployment creates a gentle spin for the Soyuz as it dangles underneath the drogue chute, assisting in the capsule's stability in the final minutes before touchdown.

2152 GMT (5:52 p.m. EDT)

Recovery forces report spotting the Soyuz streaking through its descent.

2150 GMT (5:50 p.m. EDT)

The crew should be feeling the period of maximum G-loads -- four or five times normal Earth gravity -- during entry.

2148 GMT (5:48 p.m. EDT)

Cameras on the space station are showing the white-hot plasma trails from the two discarded Soyuz modules as they disintegrate in the atmosphere. The crew-carrying descent module can be seen flying on toward landing about 20 minutes from now.

2146 GMT (5:46 p.m. EDT)

The Expedition 11 crew aboard the station reports seeing the three pieces of Soyuz as the modules plunge into the atmosphere below.

2144 GMT (5:44 p.m. EDT)

Entry Interface. The Soyuz is now hitting the upper fringes of the atmosphere at an altitude of 400,000 feet. The Expedition 10 crew members are beginning to feel the first tugs of Earth's gravity after six months in space.

The entry guidance by the spacecraft's onboard software package is scheduled to start in a couple of minutes.

2141 GMT (5:41 p.m. EDT)

Separation of the Soyuz modules has occurred. The three segments of the Soyuz TMA-5 spacecraft have jettisoned apart, allowing the crew-carrying Descent Module to safely ferry the three men back to Earth. The no-longer-needed Orbital Module and Instrumentation/Propulsion Module are designed to burn up in the atmosphere.

2138 GMT (5:38 p.m. EDT)

Time to touchdown is 30 minutes.

Just above the first traces of the Earth's atmosphere, computers will command the separation of the three modules of the Soyuz vehicle. With the crew strapped in to the Descent Module, the forward Orbital Module containing the docking mechanism and rendezvous antennas and the rear Instrumentation/Propulsion Module, which houses the engines and avionics, will pyrotechnically separate and burn up in the atmosphere.

The Descent Module's computers will orient the capsule with its ablative heat shield pointing forward to repel the buildup of heat as it plunges into the atmosphere. The crew will feel the first effects of gravity in six months at the point called Entry Interface, when the module is about 400,000 feet above the Earth, about three minutes after module separation.

2130 GMT (5:30 p.m. EDT)

Soyuz is crossing the equator over the Central Atlantic Ocean on its free fall toward the atmosphere.

In about 9 minutes, computer commands will fire explosives to separate the three Soyuz modules for atmospheric entry. The crew is strapped inside the Descent Module.

2121 GMT (5:21 p.m. EDT)

BURN COMPLETE! The Soyuz capsule carrying Expedition 10 commander Leroy Chiao, flight engineer Salizhan Sharipov and ESA researcher Roberto Vittori has performed its braking maneuver, committing the craft for the return to Earth. Touchdown in north-central Kazakhstan is expected about 47 minutes from now.

2119 GMT (5:19 p.m. EDT)

Now half-way through the burn. The crew reports everything is "nominal" so far.

2117 GMT (5:17 p.m. EDT)

BURN IGNITION! The Russian Soyuz TMA-5 spacecraft has commenced the four-minute, 23-second deorbit burn. Engines on the capsule's aft-end are firing to brake from orbit for the plunge back to Earth.

The capsule is flying over the extreme southern Atlantic Ocean, east of South America, on a northeasterly trajectory bound for Africa and eventually Central Asia where landing is expected at 6:08 p.m. EDT in the heart of Kazakhstan.

2100 GMT (5:00 p.m. EDT)

Clocks in mission control are counting down the final 17 minutes to the deorbit burn ignition. The braking maneuver will slow Soyuz by 250 miles per hour to send the craft toward atmospheric re-entry.

1900 GMT (3:00 p.m. EDT)

Over the next couple of hours, Soyuz will drift about 19 kilometers from the station. The capsule's engines will ignite for the four-minute, 23-second deorbit burn to brake from space around 5:17 p.m. EDT, slowing the ship just enough to slip out of orbit for the return to Earth.

Just before reaching the top of the atmosphere, the Soyuz's three distinct modules will separate around 5:41 p.m. EDT. The crew will be located in the Descent Module, which is sandwiched between the forward Orbital Module containing the docking mechanism and the rear Instrumentation and Propulsion Module housing the engines and avionics.

The Descent Module orients itself to point the ablative heat shield in the direction of travel to protect the craft and crew from the intense plunge back to Earth. At 5:44 p.m. EDT, the moment of Entry Interface occurs as the capsule hits the upper fringes of the atmosphere for the fiery re-entry.

During the fall homeward, the Orbital Module and Instrumentation and Propulsion Module will burn up in the atmosphere.

Six minutes after Entry Interface, the crew will experience the period of maximum G-loads during entry as they feel the tug of Earth's gravity for the first time since launch.

At 5:53 p.m. EDT, the onboard computers will start a commanded sequence for deployment of the capsule's parachutes at an altitude of about 10 kilometers. Two "pilot" parachutes are unfurled first, extracting a 24-square-meter drogue parachute. Within 16 seconds, the craft's fall will slow from 230 meters per second to about 80 m/s.

The parachute deployment creates a gentle spin for the Soyuz as it dangles underneath the drogue chute, assisting in the capsule's stability in the final minutes before touchdown.

The drogue chute will be jettisoned, allowing the main parachute to be deployed. It is connected to the Descent Module by two harnesses, covers an area of about 1,000 square meters and slows descent to 7.2 meters/second.

Initially, the Descent Module will hang underneath the main parachute at a 30-degree angle with respect to the horizon for aerodynamic stability, but the bottommost harness will be severed a few minutes before landing, allowing the Descent Module to hang vertically through touchdown.

At an altitude of just over 5 kilometers, the heat shield will be cast free. That is followed by dumping of any residual propellant from the Soyuz.

Once the heat shield is gone, the Soyuz altimeter is exposed to the surface of the Earth. Using a reflector system, signals are bounced to the ground from the Soyuz and reflected back, providing the capsule's computers updated information on altitude and rate of descent.

At an altitude of about 12 meters, cockpit displays will tell Sharipov to prepare for the soft landing engine firing. Just one meter above the surface, and just seconds before touchdown, the six solid propellant engines are fired in a final braking maneuver, enabling the Soyuz to land to complete its mission, settling down at a velocity of about 1.5 meters per second.

Touchdown is expected at 6:08 p.m. EDT on the steppes of north-central Kazakhstan, about two hours before sunrise at the landing site.

A group of Russian military helicopters carrying the recovery forces, including a U.S. flight surgeon and astronaut support personnel, should arrive soon after landing to help the crew exit the capsule.

SUNDAY, APRIL 24, 2005
1847 GMT (2:47 p.m. EDT)

The Soyuz spacecraft has fired its thrusters for about 8 seconds, providing a one-foot-per-second boost in velocity to increase the rate of separation between the capsule and station. Over the two-and-a-half hours, the two craft will drift apart before Soyuz ignites its engines to brake from orbit for re-entry.

1844 GMT (2:44 p.m. EDT)

UNDOCKING! With a gentle push by springs, the Soyuz TMA-5 spacecraft has undocked from the International Space Station's Zarya control module.

The Russian capsule is bringing the Expedition 10 crew -- commander Leroy Chiao and flight engineer Salizhan Sharipov -- and visiting researcher Roberto Vittori back to Earth this evening. Expedition 10 spent six months living on the station, while Vittori visited for a week.

1841 GMT (2:41 p.m. EDT)

The undocking command has been issued. The hooks and latches are opening to release the Soyuz capsule from the space station.

The station's steering jets are inhibited to prevent any movements during the undocking.

1501 GMT (11:01 a.m. EDT)

The Expedition 10 crew is bidding farewell to the International Space Station's new residents and climbing aboard the Soyuz TMA-5 capsule in preparation for undocking and return to Earth later today.

Commander Leroy Chiao and flight engineer Salizhan Sharipov, along with short-term visiting astronaut Roberto Vittori of the European Space Agency, will spend the next couple of hours donning their entry spacesuits and readying the Soyuz spacecraft for departure. Undocking from the Zarya module's Earth-facing port is expected at 2:41 p.m. EDT.

The space station is now in the hands of Expedition 11 commander Sergei Krikalev and flight engineer John Phillips, having arrived at the outpost a week ago to begin a half-year mission.

For the Earth-bound crew, they will spend two orbits in free-flight before landing in the predawn darkness of Kazakhstan. The deorbit burn to brake from orbit occurs at 5:18 p.m. EDT, followed by touchdown around 6:08 p.m. EDT.

Sharipov will undock the Soyuz manually -- instead of in automatic mode with the onboard computer in charge -- as a precautionary measure to conserve energy due to concerns with the capsule's backup battery. The manual mode reduces the amount of time the Soyuz is on internal power before undocking.

"Although the Soyuz' backup battery charge is thought to be adequate if it were required for the undocking, that battery has shown signs of a reduced charge since the Soyuz was relocated among Station docking ports in November 2004. The primary battery is healthy," a NASA status report said.

"The manual undocking is a practiced backup procedure for Soyuz operations, and is being done to ensure adequate backup battery power is available if it were needed for deorbit and landing."

Watch this page for periodic updates during undocking and later tonight during entry.

SUNDAY, APRIL 17, 2005

A Russian Soyuz capsule carrying the international space station's 11th long-duration crew docked with the lab complex late Saturday after a trouble-free two-day orbital chase that began with launch Thursday from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Read our full story.

Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: SOYUZ CAPSULE DOCKS TO THE SPACE STATION QT

VIDEO: CREW PARTICIPATES IN LAUNCH DAY TRADITIONS QT
VIDEO: THE MEN DON THEIR LAUNCH SPACESUITS QT
VIDEO: RUSSIAN & U.S. VIPS TALK WITH CREW QT
VIDEO: CREW DEPARTS SUITUP BUILDING FOR PAD QT
VIDEO: LARGE CROWD WELCOMES CREW AT LAUNCH PAD QT
VIDEO: SOYUZ ROCKET LAUNCHES EXPEDITION 11 SHORT | FULL

VIDEO: EXPEDITION 11 NARRATED MISSION OVERVIEW QT
VIDEO: NARRATED BIOGRAPHIES OF EXPEDITION 11 CREW QT
VIDEO: CREW MAKES FIT-CHECK INSIDE SOYUZ CAPSULE QT
VIDEO: TECHNICIANS COMPLETE ASSEMBLY OF SOYUZ ROCKET QT
VIDEO: SOYUZ ROCKET ROLLED TO LAUNCH PAD WEDNESDAY QT
VIDEO: EXPEDITION 11 PREVIEW BRIEFING DIAL-UP | BROADBAND
AUDIO: LISTEN TO PREVIEW BRIEFING FOR IPOD
VIDEO: CREW PRE-FLIGHT NEWS CONFERENCE DIAL-UP | BROADBAND
AUDIO: LISTEN TO CREW BRIEFING FOR IPOD
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0222 GMT (10:22 p.m. EDT Sat.)

Over the next few minutes, the Soyuz docking probe will retract to allow hooks and latches to bring the spacecraft to a firm seal with the station. Hatches between the two vehicles will be opened a couple of hours from now.

0220 GMT (10:20 p.m. EDT Sat.)

DOCKING. The Soyuz TMA-6 spacecraft has docked to the Pirs module of the International Space Station, delivering the Expedition 11 crew while flying over the coast of China.

0219 GMT (10:19 p.m. EDT Sat.)

Soyuz is within acceptable alignment. Standing by for docking.

0219 GMT (10:19 p.m. EDT Sat.)

Soyuz appears to have a bit of roll error, perhaps 5 degrees or more. Controllers were just asking if Krikalev was ready to take manual control if needed.

0218 GMT (10:18 p.m. EDT Sat.)

Distance is now 20 meters.

0217 GMT (10:17 p.m. EDT Sat.)

Soyuz remains under control of its KURS automated docking system guiding the capsule to the station.

0216 GMT (10:16 p.m. EDT Sat.)

Now 50 meters separating Soyuz and the space station.

0214 GMT (10:14 p.m. EDT Sat.)

About 75 meters to go. Soyuz is closing at 0.3 meters per second.

0212 GMT (10:12 p.m. EDT Sat.)

The capsule has maneuvered around the station and aligned itself with the docking port on the Pirs module a few minutes from now.

0207 GMT (10:07 p.m. EDT Sat.)

Soyuz is about 304 meters away from the station, moving toward the outpost at a slower pace now. Mission control reports that everything is progressing successfully tonight.

0145 GMT (9:45 p.m. EDT Sat.)

The Soyuz TMA-6 spacecraft is rapidly closing on the space station for docking just over 30 minutes from now. The craft is running a few minutes behind the scheduled timeline, but that should be no problem. The craft is running on its programmed robotic control, with commander Sergei Krikalev poised to grab manual control for docking if needed.

FRIDAY, APRIL 15, 2005
0120 GMT (9:20 p.m. EDT Thurs.)

The next crew of the international space station rocketed into orbit after a picture-perfect dawn liftoff from Kazakhstan, kicking off a two-day orbital chase that should culminate late Saturday, U.S. time, with a docking at the orbital outpost. Read our full story.

0100 GMT (9:00 p.m. EDT Thurs.)

This completes our live play-by-play reports of the Expedition 11 liftoff. Check back shortly for video and pictures of this absolutely spectacular launch, as well as a wrap-up story.

0057 GMT (8:57 p.m. EDT Thurs.)

The Soyuz capsule's power-generating solar arrays and antennas for navigational and communication systems have been deployed.

0056 GMT (8:56 p.m. EDT Thurs.)

Russian flight controllers and the crew are exchanging congratulations following an apparent smooth trip to orbit for the Expedition 11 crew.

0055 GMT (8:55 p.m. EDT Thurs.)

T+plus 8 minutes, 55 seconds. CAPSULE SEPARATION! The Soyuz spacecraft is flying free after separation from the spent third stage for the journey to the International Space Station.

0055 GMT (8:55 p.m. EDT Thurs.)

T+plus 8 minutes, 50 seconds. The third stage engine cutoff has occurred.

0054 GMT (8:54 p.m. EDT Thurs.)

T+plus 8 minutes. Flight remains normal.

0053 GMT (8:53 p.m. EDT Thurs.)

T+plus 7 minutes, 30 seconds. Mission control reports that roll, yaw and pitch is normal as the third stage continues to fire.

0053 GMT (8:53 p.m. EDT Thurs.)

T+plus 7 minutes. Cameras mounted in the crew module of Soyuz showing the three men as they follow checklists and enjoy the ride.

0052 GMT (8:52 p.m. EDT Thurs.)

T+plus 6 minutes. Third stage continues to fire.

0051 GMT (8:51 p.m. EDT Thurs.)

T+plus 5 minutes, 10 seconds. The second stage of the Soyuz rocket has shut down and separated. The third stage will complete the job of injecting the Soyuz capsule into Earth orbit.

0050 GMT (8:50 p.m. EDT Thurs.)

T+plus 4 minutes, 30 seconds. Less than a minute remains in powered flight for the second stage.

0049 GMT (8:49 p.m. EDT Thurs.)

T+plus 3 minutes, 30 seconds. No problems have been reported in this climb to orbit.

0049 GMT (8:49 p.m. EDT Thurs.)

T+plus 3 minutes. The safety escape tower and launch shroud have been jettisoned from the atop the Soyuz capsule.

0048 GMT (8:48 p.m. EDT Thurs.)

T+plus 2 minutes, 15 seconds. The four strap-on boosters of the first stage have separated as planned. The second stage core motor continues to fire.

0047 GMT (8:47 p.m. EDT Thurs.)

T+plus 60 seconds. A beautiful dawn blastoff of Soyuz on its trek to space.

0046 GMT (8:46 p.m. EDT Thurs.)

T+plus 30 seconds. The Russian Soyuz is maneuvering to the proper heading. All engines are up and running.

0046:25 GMT (8:46:25 p.m. EDT Thurs.)

LIFTOFF! Liftoff of the 11th Expedition crew to the International Space Station!

0045 GMT (8:45 p.m. EDT Thurs.)

T-minus 40 seconds. The first umbilical arm has separated from Soyuz. The second will retract in the next few seconds.

0045 GMT (8:45 p.m. EDT Thurs.)

T-minus 1 minute and counting. Launch sequence start.

0044 GMT (8:44 p.m. EDT Thurs.)

T-minus 90 seconds. The International Space Station is flying 230 miles over the South Atlantic. Launch is timed to put Soyuz on a trajectory to reach the outpost Saturday night, about 49.5 hours from now.

0044 GMT (8:44 p.m. EDT Thurs.)

T-minus 2 minutes and counting. Rocket propellant tank pressurization is underway. The vehicle's onboard measurement system is activated. Oxidizer and fuel drain and safety valves of launch vehicle have been closed.

0043 GMT (8:43 p.m. EDT Thurs.)

T-minus 3 minutes and counting. The nitrogen purge of the combustion chambers of side and central engine pods of the rocket has started.

0042 GMT (8:42 p.m. EDT Thurs.)

T-minus 4 minutes and counting. The range at Baikonur is verified clear for launch. The launch key has been inserted in the bunker for liftoff.

0041 GMT (8:41 p.m. EDT Thurs.)

T-minus 5 minutes and counting. Systems of the Soyuz have switched to onboard control, the ground measurement system and Soyuz commander Sergei Krikalev's controls are being activated. Also, the crew has switched to suit air by closing their helmets.

0040 GMT (8:40 p.m. EDT Thurs.)

T-minus 6 minutes and counting. The automatic program for final launch operations is being activated.

0036 GMT (8:36 p.m. EDT Thurs.)

T-minus 10 minutes and counting. The crew inside the Soyuz capsule are activating recorders to collect data during launch.

0032 GMT (8:32 p.m. EDT Thurs.)

T-minus 14 minutes and counting. The Soyuz telemetry systems are being activated. They will relay real-time data back to Earth during today's launch.

0029 GMT (8:29 p.m. EDT Thurs.)

T-minus 17 minutes and counting. Realignment of the Soyuz rocket's trajectory control system has been completed and checks of internal batteries have been performed. The Soyuz telemetry system will soon be activated and monitoring of Soyuz's thermal control system also will begin.

0016 GMT (8:16 p.m. EDT Thurs.)

T-minus 30 minutes and counting. The emergency escape system is being armed. The system would be employed if a major malfunction occurs, propelling the Soyuz capsule off the top of the rocket to safety.

0006 GMT (8:06 p.m. EDT Thurs.)

The two-piece service structure that has enclosed the Soyuz rocket at the launch pad during its stay is being retracted. The towers are rotating to a horizontal position. Several other umbilical arms connecting the rocket to the ground will be retracted at various times later in the countdown.

Meanwhile, leak checks of the crew's launch and entry spacesuits are scheduled to be underway at this time.

0000 GMT (8:00 p.m. EDT Thurs.)

T-minus 45 minutes and counting. Clocks continue to count down for launch of the Expedition 11 crew. NASA officials are not reporting any problems preventing liftoff this evening as planned.

THURSDAY, APRIL 14, 2005
2315 GMT (7:15 p.m. EDT)

The Expedition 11 crew has boarded the Soyuz spacecraft and the launch vehicle is fueled up as the countdown proceeds for liftoff at 8:46 p.m. EDT (0046 GMT) this evening.

1830 GMT (2:30 p.m. EDT)

Here is an overview the key events in the countdown, as provided by NASA:

• T- 6:00:00 Batteries are installed in the booster
  
  
• T- 5:30:00 State commission gives "go" to take launch vehicle
  
  
• T- 5:15:00 Crew arrives at site 254
  
  
• T- 5:00:00 Tanking begins
  
  
• T- 4:20:00 Spacesuit donning
  
  
• T- 4:00:00 Booster is loaded with liquid oxygen
  
  
• T- 3:40:00 Crew meets delegations
  
  
• T- 3:10:00 Reports to the State commission
  
  
• T- 3:05:00 Transfer to the launch pad
  
  
• T- 3:00:00 Vehicle first and second stage oxidizer fueling complete
  
  
• T- 2:35:00 Crew arrives at launch vehicle
  
  
• T- 2:30:00 Crew ingress through orbital module side hatch
  
  
• T- 2:00:00 Crew in re-entry vehicle
  
  
• T- 1:45:00 Re-entry vehicle hardware tested; suits are ventilated
  
  
• T- 1:30:00 Launch command monitoring and supply unit prepared;
  -- Orbital compartment hatch tested for sealing
  
  
• T- 1:00:00 Launch vehicle control system prepared for use; gyro instruments activated
  
  
• T - :45:00 Launch pad service structure halves are lowered
  
  
• T- :40:00 Re-entry vehicle hardware testing complete; leak checks performed on suits
  
  
• T- :30:00 Emergency escape system armed; launch command supply unit activated
  
  
• T- :25:00 Service towers withdrawn
  
  
• T- :15:00 Suit leak tests complete; crew engages personal escape hardware auto mode
  
  
• T- :10:00 Launch gyro instruments uncaged; crew activates on-board recorders
  
  
• T- 7:00 All prelaunch operations are complete
  
  
• T- 6:15 Key to launch command given at the launch site;
  -- Automatic program of final launch operations is activated
  
  
• T- 6:00 All launch complex and vehicle systems ready for launch
  
  
• T- 5:00 Onboard systems switched to onboard control;
  -- Ground measurement system activated by RUN 1 command;
  -- Commander's controls activated;
  -- Crew switches to suit air by closing helmets;
  -- Launch key inserted in launch bunker
  
  
• T- 3:15 Combustion chambers of side and central engine pods purged with nitrogen
  
  
• T- 2:30 Booster propellant tank pressurization starts;
  -- Onboard measurement system activated by RUN 2 command;
  -- Prelaunch pressurization of all tanks with nitrogen begins
  
  
• T- 2:15 Oxidizer and fuel drain and safety valves of launch vehicle are closed;
  -- Ground filling of oxidizer and nitrogen to the launch vehicle is terminated
  
  
• T- 1:00 Vehicle on internal power;
  -- Automatic sequencer on;
  -- First umbilical tower separates from booster
  
  
• T- :40 Ground power supply umbilical to third stage is disconnected
  
  
• T- :20 Launch command given at the launch position;
  -- Central and side pod engines are turned on
  
  
• T- :15 Second umbilical tower separates from booster
  
  
• T- :10 Engine turbopumps at flight speed
  
  
• T- :05 First stage engines at maximum thrust
  
  
• T- :00 Fueling tower separates;
  -- Lift off

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 2005

The next International Space Station resident crew leaves the planet Thursday night, rocketing into Earth orbit aboard a Russian Soyuz capsule to begin six months living aboard the space laboratory.

Expedition 11 commander Sergei Krikalev and flight engineer John Phillips, along with short-term visitor Roberto Vittori of the European Space Agency, are scheduled for blastoff in the Soyuz TMA-6 spacecraft at 8:46:23 p.m. EDT (0046:23 GMT) from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan. A three-stage rocket should place the Soyuz into the pre-planned orbit within 10 minutes.

A two-day chase to reach the station will be underway as Soyuz executes a series of tightly-scripted engine firings to refine its orbit. Docking to the station's Pirs module is expected Saturday evening around 10:19 p.m. EDT (0219 GMT). The opening of hatches between Soyuz and station follows at 1:05 a.m. EDT (0505 GMT) Sunday morning.

Krikalev and Phillips are replacing the outgoing Expedition 10 crew of commander Leroy Chiao and flight engineer Salizhan Sharipov. After their six-month mission on the station, Chiao, Sharipov and visitor Vittori plan to depart the station on April 24 inside the Soyuz TMA-5 spacecraft and return to Earth. Landing is targeted for a remote zone in Kazakhstan at 6:09 p.m. EDT (2209 GMT).

Expedition 11's mission will keep the space station flying safely while also preparing the complex to welcome the two space shuttle missions in May and July.

A detailed preview of Expedition 11 and its crew from the pre-launch press kit is posted below:

Expedition 11: Opening the Door for Return to Flight

The crew that will greet the first Space Shuttle astronauts to arrive at the International Space Station since November 2002 is scheduled to launch on April 15, 2005 (local time), aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, replacing the American astronaut and the Russian cosmonaut who have been living and working on the Station since October 2004.

Russian Expedition 11 Station and Soyuz Commander Sergei Krikalev, 46, and NASA Flight Engineer and Science Officer John Phillips, 53, will launch on the ISS Soyuz 10 (TMA-6) spacecraft for a two-day flight to dock to the Pirs Docking Compartment on the ISS. This will be the sixth flight into space for Krikalev, more than any other Russian cosmonaut, and the second flight into space for Phillips, who previously flew on STS-100 in 2001 that delivered the Canadarm2 robotic arm to the Station. Phillips will launch on his 54th birthday.

Krikalev will be making his third trip to the International Space Station, having first flown to the ISS on the STS-88 mission that delivered the Unity Module to link up to the first Station element, the Zarya Control Module. He was the Flight Engineer on the first Expedition mission in 2000 that began the permanent human occupancy of the complex. Krikalev made three previous flights to the Mir Space Station.

By the time Krikalev returns to Earth this fall, he will have accumulated 800 days in space on his six flights, more than any other human.

Krikalev and Phillips will be joined aboard the Soyuz by European Space Agency astronaut Roberto Vittori, 40, a test pilot for the Italian Air Force, who will be making his second trip into space and his second trip to the International Space Station. Vittori was part of a Russian / South African crew that delivered a new Soyuz return vehicle to the Station in 2002. Vittori will spend eight days on the Station, conducting a variety of experiments before returning home with the Expedition 10 crew, Commander Leroy Chiao and Flight Engineer and Soyuz Commander Salizhan Sharipov, in the ISS Soyuz 9 (TMA-5) vehicle that is docked to Zarya.

Once on board, Krikalev and Phillips will conduct more than a week of handover activities with Chiao and Sharipov, familiarizing themselves with Station systems and procedures. They will also receive proficiency training on the Canadarm2 robotic arm from Chiao and will engage in safety briefings with the departing Expedition 10 crew as well as payload and scientific equipment training.

Chiao and Sharipov will assume formal control of the Station at the time of hatch closure for the Expedition 10 crewmembers shortly before they and Vittori undock the Soyuz 10 (TMA-5) craft from Zarya. With Sharipov at the controls of Soyuz, he, Chiao and Vittori will land in the steppes of north central Kazakhstan April 25 (local time) to wrap up six months in orbit. Vittori's mission will span 10 days.

After landing, Chiao and Sharipov will be flown from Kazakhstan to the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, for about two weeks of initial physical rehabilitation. Vittori will spend a much shorter time acclimating himself to Earth's gravity due to the brevity of his flight.

Krikalev and Phillips are expected to spend about 180 days aboard the ISS. After the Columbia accident on Feb. 1, 2003, the ISS Program and the international Partners determined that the Station would be occupied by only two crewmembers until the resumption of Shuttle flights because of limitations on consumables. Expedition 11 may see the resumption of a full three-person capability this summer with the addition of another crewmember on the STS-121 mission, dependent on the Space Shuttle's Return to Flight activities and further discussions with the International Partners.

Krikalev and Phillips will be on board the Station when Commander Eileen Collins and her six crewmembers launch on the Shuttle Discovery on the first post-Columbia mission. It will mark the first time since the STS-113 mission in November 2002 that a Shuttle will arrive at the Station. The two crews plan eight days of joint docked operations, including the resupply of the Station with several tons of food and equipment as well as three spacewalks out of the Shuttle's airlock by Discovery astronauts Soichi Noguchi and Steve Robinson to practice orbiter thermal protection system repair techniques and, among other things, to replace a failed electrical gyroscope in the Z1 Truss that has been inoperable since June 2002. They will also install a łtool shed˛ on the U.S. Airlock Quest called the External Stowage Platform that houses spare parts for future Station assembly spacewalks.

American and Russian specialists are developing plans for two spacewalks Krikalev and Phillips will conduct in August and September to outfit the Station with new external experiment hardware, install additional camera gear, and relocate and recover Russian science equipment on the Zvezda Service Module.

The first spacewalk is scheduled to be conducted in U.S. spacesuits out of Quest after the airlock is cleared for use once again following the replacement of a heat exchanger device that began with the Expedition 10 crew. A faulty heat exchanger was identified as the most probable cause for introducing rust and contamination into U.S. suits on the Station last year that forced subsequent spacewalks to be conducted out of the Russian Pirs Docking Compartment. The goal is to have the U.S. airlock available for renewed use by the STS- 121 mission this summer.

The second spacewalk will be conducted in Russian Orlan spacesuits out of Pirs. Krikalev is a spacewalk veteran, having logged seven excursions outside the Mir Space Station. The spacewalks will be the first for Phillips.

In addition to preparing for the return of the Space Shuttle to the Station during the STS-114 mission, Krikalev and Phillips will see the Shuttle Atlantis visit the complex this summer with a crew led by Commander Steve Lindsey on a mission virtually identical to STS-114. Lindsey and his crew will also resupply the complex and conduct three spacewalks to test Shuttle tile and reinforced carbon-carbon repair techniques and to continue external outfitting of the outpost.

Once the Expedition 10 crew has departed, the Expedition 11 crew will settle down to work. Station operations and Station maintenance will take up a considerable share of the time for the two-person crew. But science will continue, as will science-focused education activities and Earth observations.

The science team at the Payload Operations Center at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., will operate some experiments without crew input and other experiments are designed to function autonomously. Together, operation of individual experiments is expected to total several thousand hours, adding to the more than 100,000 hours of experiment operation time already accumulated aboard the Station.

During more than six months aloft, Krikalev and Phillips will monitor the arrival of two Russian Progress resupply cargo ships filled with food, fuel, water and supplies that will augment the renewed deliveries of supplies on visiting Shuttles. They will also don their spacesuits and relocate their Soyuz spacecraft from their Pirs docking port to the Zarya docking port in August to free up the Pirs airlock to support spacewalk activity from the Russian segment.

The ISS Progress 18 cargo ship is scheduled to reach the ISS in June and ISS Progress 19 is earmarked to fly to the ISS at the end of August. The first Progress craft will link up to the aft port of Zvezda and the second will dock to Pirs.

Also on the crew's agenda is work with the Station's robotic arm, Canadarm2. Robotics work will focus on observations of the Station's exterior, maintaining operator proficiency, and completing the schedule of on-orbit checkout requirements that were developed to fully characterize the performance of the robotic system.

Krikalev and Phillips are scheduled to return to Earth in early October after their successors, the Expedition 12, reach the Station to begin their six-month stay.

Expedition 11 Responsibilities for Return to Flight

The Expedition 11 crew will be preparing the Space Station for its first Shuttle visitors in more than two years. Initial preparations include packing equipment that will be sent home on the Shuttle in the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module, Raffaello, for refurbishment on Earth. This work was begun in February by the Expedition 10 crew. The crew also will rearrange material to clear the way for the Shuttle crew to enter through Pressurized Mating Adapter (PMA) 2 that has served as storage during the Shuttle downtime and to make room in the Station's modules for the additional crewmembers.

During the Shuttle's rendezvous with the Station, as Discovery reaches a point 600 feet below the Station, the Shuttle crew will perform a Rendezvous Pitch Maneuver (RPM), a three-quarter-degree-per-second backflip, so that its underside faces the Station. The Expedition 11 crew will use digital still cameras with 400 and 800 millimeter lenses and a detailed plan to photographically map the Shuttle's underside for about 90 seconds before it continues on to docking. The images will be sent to Earth for inclusion in the collection of data that will be used by the Mission Evaluation Room (MER) and Mission Management Team (MMT) to evaluate the condition of the thermal protection system. That data will be part of the compilation of imagery to allow mission managers to make decisions on how the mission should proceed.

After docking and welcome ceremonies are complete, Shuttle and Station crewmembers will work together, lifting the Orbiter Boom Sensor System (OBSS) out of the Shuttle cargo bay using the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) and handing it to the Shuttle arm for use in additional thermal protection system surveys the following day. The Station arm, also known as Canadarm2, will be brought into play because the geometry of the combined Shuttle-Station configuration results in obstructions that prevent the Shuttle arm from maneuvering the OBSS out of its cargo bay cradles. The Expedition 11 crew also will help transfer spacewalk equipment and tools to Discovery for use during the three planned spacewalks, and will operate the Station's robotic arm to provide video covers of the spacewalkers. That video will allow crewmembers inside the Station and experts in Mission Control to track and coordinate the spacewalks as they progress. They also will depressurize the Quest airlock so that the two spacewalkers may open the exterior hatch, making it available as an emergency entrance in the unlikely event that there is a problem with the Shuttle airlock.

Expedition 11 Science Overview

Expedition 11 - the 11th science research mission on the International Space Station - is scheduled to begin in April 2005, when the 11th crew arrives at the Space Station aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft.

Designated the 10S mission for the 10th Soyuz to visit the Station, a two-person crew of NASA Space Station Science Officer John L. Phillips and Russian Commander Sergei K. Krikalev, will maintain the Station and work with science teams on the ground to operate experiments and collect data.

The current Expedition 10 crew, Leroy Chiao and Salizhan Sharipov, is scheduled to return home in April on another Soyuz spacecraft - 9S - now docked at the Station.

During Expedition 11, two Russian Progress cargo flights - called 18P and 19P for the 18th and 19th Progress vehicles - are scheduled to dock with the Space Station. The Progress re-supply ships will transport supplies to the Station and carry scientific equipment.

Much of the research activities for Expedition 11 will be carried out with scientific facilities and samples already on board the Space Station, as well as with new research facilities transported by the next two Space Shuttle missions - STS-114 scheduled for launch in May 2005, and STS-121 scheduled for a July 2005 launch. Additional experiments are being evaluated and prepared to make use of limited cargo space on the Soyuz or Progress vehicles. The research agenda for the expedition remains flexible. While most equipment and samples can remain on board the Station with minimal or no detrimental effects, a few perishable samples - urine samples, for example - may be returned to Earth on the Soyuz.

The Expedition 11 crew has more than 100 hours scheduled for U.S. payload activities. Space Station science also will be conducted by remote "crewmembers" - the team of controllers and scientists on the ground, who will continue to plan, monitor and operate experiments from control centers across the United States.

A team of controllers for Expedition 11 will work in the Space Station's Payload Operations Center - NASA's science command post for the Space Station - at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, Ala. Controllers work in three shifts around the clock, seven days a week in the Payload Operations Center, which links researchers around the world with their experiments and the crew aboard the Station.

EXPERIMENTS USING ON-BOARD RESOURCES

Many experiments from earlier Expeditions remain aboard the Space Station and will continue to benefit from the long-term research platform provided by the orbiting laboratory. These experiments include:

Crew Earth Observations (CEO) takes advantage of the crew in space to observe and photograph natural and man-made changes on Earth. The photographs record Earth surface changes over time, as well as more fleeting events such as storms, floods, fires and volcanic eruptions. Together they provide researchers on Earth with vital, continuous images needed to better understand the planet.

Dust Aerosol Measurement Feasibility Test (DAFT) releases particles in the Space Station atmosphere to test the ability of different equipment to measure the levels of dust and air quality.

Materials on the International Space Station Experiment (MISSE) is a suitcase-sized experiment attached to the outside of the Space Station. It exposes hundreds of potential space construction materials to the environment. The samples will be returned to Earth for study during a later expedition. Investigators will use the resulting data to design stronger, more durable spacecraft.

Protein Crystal Growth Single-locker Thermal Enclosure System (PCG-STES) will continue to process crystals that have been growing since Expedition 6, launched in October 2002. Crystals that also were grown on Expeditions 2 beginning in March 2001, as well as Expedition 4 launched in December 2001, and Expedition 5 beginning in June 2002, were returned to Earth for analysis. The facility provides a temperature-controlled environment for growing high-quality protein crystals of selected proteins in microgravity for later analyses on the ground to determine the proteins' molecular structure. Research may contribute to advances in medicine, agriculture and other fields.

Space Acceleration Measurement System II (SAMS-II) and Microgravity Acceleration Measurement System (MAMS) sensors measure vibrations caused by crew, equipment and other sources that could disturb microgravity experiments.

HUMAN LIFE SCIENCE INVESTIGATIONS

Many continuing experiments will use measurements of Expedition 11 crewmembers to study changes in the body caused by exposure to the microgravity environment.

Chromosomal Aberrations in Blood Lymphocytes of Astronauts (Chromosome), will study space radiation on humans. The expected results will provide a better knowledge of the genetic risk of astronauts in space and can help to optimize radiation shielding.

Promoting Sensorimotor Response to Generalizability: A Countermeasure to Mitigate Locomotor Dysfunction After Long-duration Spaceflight (Mobility) studies changes in posture and gait after long-duration spaceflight. Study results are expected to help in the development of an in-flight treadmill training program for Station crewmembers that could facilitate rapid recovery of functional mobility after long duration space flight.

Behavioral Issues Associated with Isolation and Confinement: Review and Analysis of Astronaut Journals obtains information on behavioral and human factors related to the design of the equipment and procedures and sustained human performance during longduration missions. Study results will provide data that could be used to place a priority on various behavioral issues to prepare for future missions.

Advanced Diagnostic Ultrasound in Microgravity (ADUM) involves crewmembers conducting ultrasound exams on one another to determine the accuracy of using ultrasound to diagnose certain types of on-orbit injuries and to assess whether the ultrasound is a feasible option for monitoring in-flight bone alterations.

The Biopsy experiment allows researchers to take biopsies of their calf muscles before and after their stay on board the Space Station. This will allow scientists to begin developing an in-space countermeasure exercise program aimed at keeping muscles at their peak performance during long missions in space.

Foot/Ground Reaction Forces During Space Flight (Foot) studies the load on the lower body and muscle activity in crewmembers while working on the Station. This study will provide better understanding of the bone and muscle loss in the lower extremities experienced by astronauts in microgravity. The results of this experiment will help in future space flights, as well as have significance for understanding, preventing and treating osteoporosis on Earth.

The Renal Stone experiment collects urine samples from the crew and tests a possible countermeasure for preventing kidney stone formation.

A Comprehensive Characterization of Microorganisms and Allergens in Spacecraft (Swab) will use genetic techniques for the first time to comprehensively evaluate germs on board the Space Station, including pathogens, and to study how the germ community changes as spacecraft visit the Space Station and modules are added. This study will monitor Station modules prior to launch to evaluate sources of new germs and find ways of preventing additional contamination onboard spacecraft.

Space Flight-Induced Reactivation of Latent Epstein-Barr Virus (Epstein-Barr) performs tests to study changes in human immune function using blood and urine samples collected before and after space flight. The study will provide insight for possible countermeasures to prevent the potential development of infectious illness in crewmembers during flight.

SPACE SHUTTLE EXPERIMENTS

Many other experiments are scheduled to be performed during the Space Shuttle STS-121 mission. These experiments include:

Fungal Pathogenesis, Tumorigenesis, and Effects of Host Immunity in Space (FIT) studies the progression of cancerous and benign tumors in sensitized mutant lines - cells that will turn into tumors - that show an increase in tumor formation. The effect of radiation exposure will be coupled to this study.

Incidence of Latent Virus Shielding During Spaceflight (Latent Virus) will support and expand information on latent virus - or those inactive in the human system - that can reactivate, such as a cold sore in space flight. Latent virus reactivation may be an important threat to crew health during extended space missions as crewmembers live and work in a closed environment. Potential applications of this research include the development of a rapid and sensitive diagnostic method for identifying crewmembers at increased risk of illness due to viral infections, and new technology from this investigation will be beneficial to both NASA and commercial applications.

Bioavailablity and Performance Effects Of Promethazine During Spaceflight (PMZ) aims to develop the scientific and technological foundations for a safe and productive human presence in long duration space exploration. The experiment will identify differences between ground-based and in-flight results in the availability and effects of promethazine - an antihistamine drug used to treat allergies or motion sickness.

Sleep-Wake Actigraphy and Light Exposure During Spaceflight (Sleep) will help to better understand the effects of spaceflight on sleep, as well as aid in the development of effective countermeasures for both short and long-duration spaceflight. The advancement of state-of-the-art technology for monitoring, diagnosing and assessing treatment effectiveness is vital to the continued treatment of insomnia on Earth and in space.

NEW SPACE STATION FACILITIES

Three new Space Station facilities are scheduled to be launched aboard the next two Space Shuttle flights - STS-114 and STS-121.

Human Research Facility-2 (HRF-2) will provide an on-orbit laboratory that enables human life science researchers to study and evaluate the physiological, behavioral and chemical changes induced by space flight.

Minus Eighty-degree Laboratory Freezer for ISS (MELFI) is a cold storage unit that will maintain experiment samples at ultra-cold temperatures throughout a mission.

European Modular Cultivation System (EMCS) is a large incubator that will provide control over the atmosphere, lighting and humidity of growth chambers to study plant growth. The facility was developed by the European Space Agency.

DESTINY LABORATORY FACILITIES

Several research facilities are in place aboard the Station to support Expedition 11 science investigations.

The Human Research Facility is designed to house and support a variety of life sciences experiments. It includes equipment for lung function tests, ultrasound to image the heart and many other types of computers and medical equipment.

The Microgravity Science Glovebox is the other major dedicated science facility inside Destiny. It has a large front window and built-in gloves to provide a sealed environment for conducting science and technology experiments. The Glovebox is particularly suited for handling hazardous materials when a crew is present.

The Destiny lab also is outfitted with five EXPRESS Racks. EXPRESS (Expedite the Processing of Experiments to the Space Station) racks are standard payload racks designed to provide experiments with a variety of utilities such as power, data, cooling, fluids and gasses. The racks support payloads in a several disciplines, including biology, chemistry, physics, ecology and medicines. The racks stay in orbit, while experiments are changed as needed. EXPRESS Racks 2 and 3 are equipped with the Active Rack Isolation System (ARIS) for countering minute vibrations from crew movement or operating equipment that could disturb delicate experiments.