OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE

about the census of the Russian citizens onboard the ISS

October 11, 2002. Korolev, Moscow Area.

Today it is the first time in the history of the world and Russian population censuses the census of the Russian citizens staying aboard the space object was taken in the Mission Control Center in Moscow (MCC-M) during two communication sessions with the International Space Station (ISS). For the sessions the Russian and US. space communication links were used.

Russian cosmonauts Valery Korzun (Commander of Expedition 5 ISS-5), Sergey Treschev (Flight engineer of ISS-5) and Fedor Yurchikhin (Flight specialist STS-112) answered the questions contained in the standard census forms. The cosmonauts were interviewed by I.A. Zbarskaya, Head of Population Census and Demographic Statistics Department of Goskomstat of Russia and her deputy I.A. Zhuravleva.

In the course of the poll Valery Korzun pointed to the importance of getting complete and reliable information about the Russian population and appealed to all Russians wishing them to fulfill their civil trust, namely to take an active part in this action.

The polling of commander of ISS-5 was transmitted for specialists of Goscomstat of RF, Institute of Regional Problems, representatives of central and local Russian mass media attending MCC-M. The cosmonauts demonstrated them the census forms delivered to the Station on 29 September 2002 by Progress M1-9 cargo vehicle, which are proposed to be downloaded early November 2002 in Soyuz TM-34, that is currently a part of the ISS.

According to the Lead Operational Control Team working at MCC-M, the ISS flies in orbit with the following parameters: maximum altitude 402.7, minimum altitude 371.2 km, period of revolution of 92.1 min. The station onboard systems operate normally.