The new Soyuz TMA spacecraft, which will carry ESA astronaut Pedro Duque to the ISS and back in October 2003, has been fully approved for operations. This was announced by Nikolai Zelenshikov, First Deputy President of RSC Energia, at an official briefing in Moscow.....

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The international space station was successfully maneuvered at mid-day
to avoid a close encounter with a small Italian telecommunications
satellite.

The propulsive maneuver at 11:50 a.m., CDT, raised the altitude of the
240 mile high orbital base by nearly one mile.
Full Story73 KE9V Jeff

Submitted by Arthur - N1ORC

Astronaut Don Pettit looked out the window of the International Space Station earlier this month and saw the full moon setting behind Earth's edge-on atmosphere. Using a handheld digital camera, he captured a rapid-fire sequence of images. The resulting movie reveals a moonset like nothing you've seen on Earth.

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science.nasa.gov

Expedition Seven to Launch Tonight
The Expedition Seven crewmembers -- Commander Yuri Malenchenko and NASA ISS Science Officer Ed Lu -- are set to begin their journey to the International Space Station tonight. Final preparations are under way at Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, for the launch of their Soyuz rocket, which is slated for 10:54 p.m. CDT (0354 GMT Saturday). After two days in orbit, the Soyuz TMA-2 spacecraft is scheduled to dock with the international outpost at 12:56 a.m. CDT (0556 GMT) Monday

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Subject: Lyrid Meteor Shower, ISS Moon-transit Movie

Space Weather News for April 20, 2003
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Submitted by Arthur - N1ORC (3/4/03)

The Soyuz TMA spacecraft is designed to serve as the space station's crew return vehicle, acting as a lifeboat in the unlikely event an emergency would require the crew to leave the station.

http://spaceflight.nasa.govhttp://www.russianspaceweb.com

Very good site to view - suggested by Miles WF1F

http://www.africaninspace.com

Mark Shuttleworths visit to ISS

Submitted by Arthur N1ORC (3/5/2003)

The Progress resupply vehicle is an automated, unpiloted version of the Soyuz spacecraft that is used to bring supplies and fuel to the International Space Station. The Progress also has the ability to raise the station's altitude and control the orientation of the station using the vehicle's thrusters.

Expedition Six's Stay in Space Reaches 100-Day Mark

Monday, Expedition Six Commander Ken Bowersox, Flight Engineer Nikolai Budarin and NASA ISS Science Officer Don Pettit spent their 100th day in space. They will reach their 100th day in command of the International Space Station on Thursday.

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/station/

The ARRL Letter from The American Radio Relay League reports that the all-ham crew aboard the International Space Station will return to Earth in early May via the Russian Soyuz escape vehicle. NASA Chief Sean O'Keefe said that the 16 ISS partner countries have agreed to use the Russian capsule to ferry a new two-person crew to the station--one American and one
Russian--and to bring the current three-man crew home.

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