Russian cosmonaut Alexander Kaleri has been named to replace Sergei Moschenko as a prime crewmember for Expedition Seven. Kaleri joins astronaut Ed Lu and Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko in training for the long-term increment aboard the International Space Station next year.

Submitted by Arthur - N1ORC

Dwayne Brown

Headquarters, Washington December 3, 2002

(Phone: 202/358-1726)

Doug Peterson

Johnson Space Center, Houston

(Phone: 281/483-5111)

RELEASE: 02-235

EXPEDITION FIVE BACKUP CREWMEMBER NAMED TO EXPEDITION SEVEN

Russian cosmonaut Alexander Kaleri has been named to replace Sergei Moschenko as a prime crewmember for Expedition Seven. Kaleri joins astronaut Ed Lu and Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko in training for the long-term increment aboard the International Space Station next year.

Kaleri was a member of the backup crew for Expedition Five, currently returning home aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour. He's also a veteran cosmonaut, having lived aboard the Russian Space Station Mir during three separate long-term missions:

145 days in 1992, 197 days in 1996 and 73 days in 2000.

Russian officials proposed the crew change to the Multilateral Crew Operations Panel, and the Panel approved the action on October 10, 2002.