Soyuz Placed On Launch Pad At Baikonur

BAIKONUR. Oct 16 (Interfax) – A Soyuz-FG launch vehicle carrying a Soyuz TMA-3 transport vehicle, which will carry an the eighth expedition to the International Space Station (ISS) on October 18, has been delivered to the launch pad at the Baikonur cosmodrome.

Technical services will check the launch vehicle once more before take-off. The rocket will be fueled on Thursday and topped off a few hours before the launch, cosmodrome staff told Interfax.

The expedition crew includes Russian Alexander Kaleri and NASA astronaut Michael Foale. They will be accompanied to the ISS by European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Pedro Duque, who is on a short- term expedition to the station. The start of the expedition is scheduled for 09:38 Moscow time.

The Soyuz-FG was specially designed for the modified Soyuz-TMA transport ship, and has an extended carrying capacity. The Soyuz- TMA was developed specifically for the ISS in accordance with agreements between Russia and the USA. It is a component of the orbital station complex and is intended to deliver crews to the ISS and serve as a rescue vehicle in the event of an emergency.

Until the American shuttles resume flying operation, the ISS main expedition crews will be launched on the Russian Soyuz.