Soyuz Delivers Three to Space Station

Jun 17, 2010 | International Space Station, NASA

Six Americans, Russians share station. From clockwise, they are Alexander Skvortsov, Tracy Caldwell Dyson, Doug Wheelock, Mikhail Kornienko, Shannon Walker and Fyodor Yurchikhin

A Soyuz spacecraft carrying two Americans and a Russian docked with the International Space Station Tuesday evening, bringing to six the number of men and women from the two countries living aboard the orbiting laboratory. 
The linkup delivering Doug Wheelock, Shannon Walker and Fyodor Yurchikhin unfolded at 6:21 p.m., EDT, as the two spacecraft sailed about 220 miles above the South Atlantic.

 

The newcomers were greeted by station commander Alexander Skvortsov, Mikhail Kornienko, both of Russia, and American Tracy Caldwell Dyson.

The Soyuz spacecraft lifted off Tuesday, initiating a five to six month mission for the station’s newest residents.

Prior to the spacecraft’s arrival, Caldwell Dyson replaced a pump in the oxygen generator of the station’s U. S. segment. The faulty pump, which was installed last week, had a malfunctioning pressure sensor.

The repair ensured adequate levels of oxygen in the breathing air for the larger crew of astronauts and cosmonauts.

The Soyuz parked at the station’s aft docking port.

The new omers will re-board the capsule on June 28 and transfer the Soyuz to a docking port on the station’s new Russian Rassvet mini research and docking module.

Rassvet was delivered to the station by the crew of the shuttle Atlantis in May is not yet equipped for automated Soyuz and Progress dockings.

Yurchikhin and Kornienko will outfit the module for automated dockings during a July 26 spacewalk