Zalyotin, De Winne and Lonchakov are now onboard Space Station. Taxi Crew and ISS Crew will work together until November 10 in a very busy week.

Then the next Space Shuttle Endeavour mission STS-113 will change ISS Crew onboard the Station. Launch is scheduled on Nov. 11.

Two minutes ago Soyuz TMA-1 Taxi Crew docked with the International Space Station. All is OK and clearly, before LOS for my station (10 minutes before docking), I heard ISS Crew talking with Soyuz Crew about the approach. All other operations until docking were transmitted on NASA TV.

Click HERE to see images about the docking. Images will be online in a few minutes.

New images about the Taxi Crew #4 preparation on day launch are now online. You can see them at www.spaceonline.tv/iss_taxicrew_04.htm

The fourth taxi flight to the International Space Station carrying a European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut and two Russian crew members made a perfect lift-off today (Wednesday, 30 October 2002) from the vast open plains of Baikonur, Kazakhstan, into the rising sun at 08:11 local time (04:11 Central European Time, 03:11 Universal Time).

I have just prepared a page with reference regarding the new Soyuz TMA spacecraft, a modification of Soyuz TM spacecraft distinguished for a high reliability and safety of flight for the crew which is proven by all the launches of the spacecraft implemented in the period of years 1986 -2002 for the purposes of servicing orbital stations.
The basic modifications of the Soyuz TM spacecraft are connected with implementation of requirements for enlargement of crew anthropometric parameter range up to the values acceptable for the American astronaut contingent....

Images and reference Here

Taxi Crew missions are very important to change Soyuz ship every 6 months. Russian Soyuz is the only way to escape the ISS International Space Station in danger case and it is indispensable to have this ship in perfect conditions every time.

For all news, images, Soyuz TMA reference and more, click Here

The arrival to the International Space Station (ISS) of a modernized Russian Soyuz crew return vehicle will be covered live on NASA Television Oct. 31-Nov. 1. The undocking of the currently attached crew-return vehicle will be carried live on Nov. 9.

A new Soyuz capsule will be launched into space next week on 30 October at 08:11 local time (04:11 CET) from the cosmodrome in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, carrying the European Space Agency’s first Belgian astronaut to visit the International Space Station and two Russian crew members.

We read today about a possible delay in Soyuz launch. But we haven't again a

official press about it. Russian responsibly will want to control the cause of the accident.

The Soyuz TMA-1 spacecraft became the next Soyuz (5th) to fly to the ISS. It was scheduled to replace the Soyuz TM-34, which arrived to the Station in April 2002.
The onboard resources and properties of propellant loaded in the reentry capsule of the Soyuz limit safe operation of the craft in space by six months.