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STS-76: In review

The STS-76 astronauts narrate highlights from the 1996 mission that launched Shannon Lucid to the Russian space station Mir.

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STS-75: In review

The STS-75 astronauts narrate highlights from the 1996 mission that saw the tethered satellite suddenly break free from the shuttle.

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STS-72: In review

The STS-72 astronauts narrate highlights from the 1996 mission that retrieved a Japanese satellite.

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STS-122: In review

The STS-122 crew narrates highlights from its mission that delivered Europe's Columbus module to the space station.

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STS-100: In review

The STS-100 astronauts narrate highlights from the April 2001 mission that installed the space station's Canadian robot arm.

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STS-102: In review

The STS-102 astronauts narrate highlights from the March 2001 mission that conducted the first ISS resident crew exchange.

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STS-123 landing

Shuttle Endeavour returned from space with a night landing March 26 at Kennedy Space Center.

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New crew arrives at station after smooth docking
BY WILLIAM HARWOOD
STORY WRITTEN FOR CBS NEWS "SPACE PLACE" & USED WITH PERMISSION
Posted: April 10, 2008

Commander Sergei Volkov, son of a famed Russian cosmonaut, deftly guided the Soyuz TMA-12 spacecraft to a successful docking with the international space station today to complete a two-day chase that started with blastoff Tuesday from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The docking mechanisms of the Soyuz and the station's Pir's airlock module engaged at 8:57 a.m. as the two spacecraft sailed high above northern Kazakhstan.

Two-and-a-half hours later, after leak checks confirmed the two spacecraft were firmly locked together, hatches were opened at 11:40 a.m. and Expedition 16 commander Peggy Whitson, flight engineer Yuri Malenchenko and Garrett Reisman welcomed Volkov and his crewmates, Oleg Kononenko and So-Yeon Yi, the first South Korean to fly in space, aboard the international lab complex.

The three arriving crew members, all making their first space flight, appeared relaxed and in good spirits as they floated into the Pirs module, with Yi grinning broadly and sharing hugs and handshakes before moving into the Zvezda command module for a safety briefing and a quick teleconference with Russian and South Korean dignitaries in mission control, Moscow.

"I feel great, really great," Yi said. "I'm so fine."

"You are now the dream of Korea," an unidentified South Korean official radioed. "Please take good care of yourself and do your best for the success of all science experiments."

"Thank you so much, I understand and I will try to do my best," Yi replied. "I will spend all my energy for Korea. Thank you so much."

Expedition 17 commander Volkov and Kononenko will replace Whitson and Malenchenko, who plan to return to Earth aboard their Soyuz TMA-11 spacecraft April 19. Yi, flying under a commercial contract between South Korea and the Russian space agency, will depart with Whitson and Malenchenko.

Reisman, launched to the station aboard the shuttle Endeavour in March, will remain aboard the outpost with Volkov and Kononenko as a member of the Expedition 17 crew until he is replaced in early June by astronaut Gregory Chamitoff, scheduled for launch aboard the shuttle Discovery May 31.

Over the next week or so, Whitson and Malenchenko, launched to the station last October, will brief their replacements on the intricacies of space station operations, showing them where critical items are stowed and familiarizing them with the behavior of critical systems. Yi will conduct a series of South Korean experiments.

"On behalf of the state commission, I would like to congratulate you with your arrival on board the international space station," radioed Victor Grin, head of the commission. "I wish you all success in your work aboard the station and hopefully, you will be able to fulfill all of the tasks planned for your mission.

"And for Peggy and Garrett and Yuri, we thank you very much for your excellent work, and we're hopeful you will be able to pass along the vast experience that you've accumulated over the last months on board the station to the newly arrived crew. Thank you."

Volkov also was congratulated by his father, 59-year-old cosmonaut Alexander Volkov, who logged 391 days in space during one flight to the Salyut-7 space station and two flights to Mir in 1985, 1988 and 1991 respectively.

Volkov, Kononenko and Reisman will have about six weeks to prepare for the arrival of the shuttle Discovery and the new Japanese Kibo research laboratory, a huge module that will be attached to the left side of the forward Harmony connecting module.

Along with helping activate the new lab, the Expedition 17 crew will oversee the arrival of three Progress supply ships and the departure of the European Space Agency's Jules Verne automated transfer vehicle later this summer. Volkov and Kononenko also plan at least one spacewalk, in July.

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Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: FULL LENGTH EXPEDITION 17 LAUNCH MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH OF EXPEDITION 17 ABOARD THE SOYUZ ROCKET PLAY
VIDEO: HIGHLIGHTS OF CREW'S LAUNCH DAY PREPS PLAY

VIDEO: VIEW OF PROGRESS 28P'S REENTRY ON MONDAY PLAY
VIDEO: PROGRESS 28P SUPPLY SHIP UNDOCKS FROM STATION PLAY

VIDEO: GANTRY TOWERS ENCLOSE SOYUZ ROCKET AT THE PAD PLAY
VIDEO: SOYUZ ROCKET ROLLED OUT TO BAIKONUR LAUNCH PAD PLAY
VIDEO: ASSEMBLY OF THE SOYUZ LAUNCH VEHICLE COMPLETED PLAY
VIDEO: CREW'S ACTIVITIES AT BAIKONUR PART 1 | PART 2 | PART 3
VIDEO: EXPEDITION 17 MISSION PREVIEW BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: EXPEDITION 17 CREW PRE-FLIGHT NEWS BRIEFING PLAY
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