BY JUSTIN RAY
SPACEFLIGHT NOW
Posted: October 13, 2004
 Soyuz launches with Expedition 10. Credit: Energia |
The Soyuz TMA-5 capsule blasted into space at 0306 GMT (11:06 p.m. EDT), enjoying an apparent flawless ascent atop its three-stage launcher.
Cold, clear skies over Baikonur Cosmodrome offered picture-perfect conditions for spectators watching the rocket rise on the flickering orange flame from the kerosene-fed engines.
Video cameras mounted inside the crew module showed Expedition 10 commander Leroy Chiao, station flight engineer Salizhan Sharipov and visiting cosmonaut Yuri Shargin flipping through checklists and monitoring onboard displays as they rocketed to space.
Nine minutes after liftoff, the capsule separated from the launch vehicle and followed computer commands to deploy the power-generating solar arrays, navigation antennas and docking probe.
 The Soyuz launch appeared flawless. Credit: Energia |
It was the fourth time in less than two years that an American astronaut had launched aboard the Soyuz. The Russian spacecraft is the only option to launch humans to the space station while NASA's shuttle fleet is grounded for safety upgrades in the wake of Columbia.
"I continue to be impressed with the safety, reliablity and the dependability in which the Soyuz vehicle gives through its launch. That just gives our astronauts really a good, safe ride up to the International Space Station," Michael Kostelnik, NASA's deputy associate administrator for the shuttle and station programs, said after launch.
"In this time of crisis when we have the shuttle not up primarily supporting the International Space Station, I think the support we have gotten from our Russian friends in crew transfer and so forth shows you the strength of how important partnerships are for these complex enterprises in space."
The Soyuz capsule was lofted into a preliminary orbit, setting the stage for a highly choreographed series of engine firings over the next two days that will maneuver Soyuz toward the International Space Station.
A fully automated docking to the station's Pirs module is scheduled for Saturday morning around 0425 GMT (12:25 a.m. EDT).
 This spectacular image shows the Soyuz contrail as the rocket powers to space. Credit: Energia |
"We have a pretty busy docked mission. Obviously, the crew is primarily busy with handover. The old crew -- Expedition 9 -- is showing the ropes to the Expedition 10 crew," said Annette Hasbrook, the Expedition 10 lead flight director in Houston's Mission Control.
"As part of that, there will be time spent on SSRMS familiarization -- that is our large robotic arm that is on the space station -- and also time spent in the U.S. airlock working on our (spacewalk) suits."
Shargin plans to conduct a series of science experiments during his station visit before returning to Earth with the Expedition 9 crew on the night of October 23, landing in Kazkahstan before dawn.
 Shargin, Sharipov and Chiao are welcomed at the Soyuz launch pad by a large crowd. Credit: Energia |
"It is the expectation they will leave (the station) prepped and ready for the the space shuttle's arrival," Kostelnik said.
"A lot of the preparations that they will be doing include pre-packing cargoes that will be returned on the shuttle flight (and) reconfiguring stowage on the ISS," said Susan Brand, NASA's Expedition 10 increment manager.
"This will be the program's first opportunity to return items to the ground for either refurb, reuse or failure analysis. So we will be looking forward to getting a lot of hardware home and off the station," Hasbrook added.
Chiao and Sharipov are scheduled to land April 25 -- a few weeks before Discovery blasts off on the shuttle return-to-flight mission -- after handing the station to Expedition 11.
For a detailed look of the Expedition 10 mission, see our preview story published earlier this week.
