Guy Laliberte’s Big Adventure Is About To Begin
Guy Laliberte and his crewmates are preparing for their trip to the International Space Station aboard Soyuz TMA-16/20S. Their mission scheduled to launch on 20 September 2009 with arrival at the ISS planned for 2 October 2009. Below are photos that show the process of getting the crew and their spacecraft ready for their trip.
Guy Laliberte and his crewmates are preparing for their trip to the International Space Station aboard Soyuz TMA-16/20S. Their mission scheduled to launch on 20 September 2009 with arrival at the ISS planned for 2 October 2009. Below are photos that show the process of getting the crew and their spacecraft ready for their trip.
September 18, 2009. S.P. Korolev Baikonur Branch Office, Baikonur Cosmodrome: The primary and backup crews of the ISS Expedition 21 have entered into their final training phase in the processing facility. Jeffrey Nels Williams (NASA, USA), Maxim Viktorovich Suraev (Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center, Russia), Guy Laliberte (Canada), Shannon B. Walker (NASA, USA), Aleksandr Aleksandrovich Skvortsov (Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center, Russia), Barbara McConnel Barrett (USA) have inspected the Soyuz TMA-16 spacecraft, tried on Sokol-KV spacesuits and customized contoured couches, went through the on-board documentation and the launch manifest.
September 17, 2009. S.P. Korolev Baikonur Branch Office, Baikonur Cosmodrome: Primary (Jeffrey Nels Williams (NASA, USA), Maxim Viktorovich Suraev (Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center, Russia), Guy Laliberte (Canada)) and backup (Shannon B. Walker (NASA, USA), Aleksandr Aleksandrovich Skvortsov (Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center, Russia), Barbara McConnel Barrett (USA)) crews of the Soyuz TMA-16 transportation spacecraft arrived to the Baikonur launch site. At the airport they were met by members of the State Commission and Technical Management. Commanders of the crews reported on their readiness for pre-flight training and Soyuz TMA-16 spacecraft acceptance.
September 24, 2009. S.P. Korolev Baikonur Branch Office, Baikonur Cosmodrome. Designers inspection of the Soyuz TMA-16 spacecraft was completed.
Payload shroud roll on to the Soyuz TMA-16 spacecraft was performed.
September 26, 2009. S.P. Korolev Baikonur Branch Office, Baikonur Cosmodrome
At Baikonur launch site the preparations continue for the launch of Soyuz TMA-16 transport manned vehicle under the International Space Station program. Orbital module of the Soyuz-FG launch vehicle, containing the Soyuz TMA-16 manned spacecraft was transported from the spacecraft processing facility for the general integration with LV.
September 27, 2009. S.P. Korolev Baikonur Branch Office, Baikonur Cosmodrome
At Baikonur launch site the preparations continue for the launch of Soyuz TMA-16 transport manned vehicle under the International Space Station program. In the LV Integration and Checkout Facility, the basic integration of the Soyuz-FG launch vehicle with the upper composite has been completed.
September 28, 2009.
S.P. Korolev Baikonur Branch Office, Baikonur Cosmodrome
At Baikonur launch site the preparations continue for the launch of Soyuz TMA-16 transport manned vehicle under the International Space Station program.
A rollout of the Soyuz spacecraft from the assembly-test facility to the launch site was provided.
The Soyuz-FG launch vehicle with the Soyuz TMA-16 transport spacecraft was erected on the launch pad. Operations under the launch minus two days program began.
The launch of the Soyuz-FG integrated launch vehicle with the Soyuz TMA-16 spacecraft to the ISS Orbital Complex is planned for September 30, 2009 at 11:14 Moscow time.
