Energia Press Release on the Soyuz TM-31 (Expedition 1) Launch

In the scope of further activities on implementation of
the International Space Station (ISS) large-scale project the Soyuz
TM-31 spacecraft was launched with the use of the Soyuz-U launch vehicle
(LV).

The spacecraft was launched at 10 hr. 52 min 47 sec. by
Moscow legal time (at 7 hr. 52 min 47sec. by mean Greenwich time) from
the Baikonur Cosmodrome and injected into the calculated near-earth
orbit having an inclination of 51.68*, minimum altitude of 190.0 km
and maximum altitude of 248.6 km, orbital period of 88.59 min. All structural
elements are assembled.

Onboard the spacecraft there is a crew of three men:
the U.S. astronaut Bill Shepherd – ISS-1 commander, Soyuz TM-31 SC flight
engineer-2 and two Russian cosmonauts Yuri Gidzenko – the Soyuz TM-31
SC commander and Sergei Krikalev – flight engineer.

The Russian cosmonauts are specialists in activities
on the ISS Russian Segment, the integrator of the development of which
is S.P. Korolev Rocket & Space Corporation Energia. This is the prime
contractor engaged in the development of manned space programs of Russia
including a program of ISS activities and it integrates a wide co-operation
of subcontractors which include more than 200 Russian enterprises and
organizations and a number of foreign contractors and companies as well.

The spacecraft flight according to the ISS assembly schedule
is designated as 2R.

The Soyuz TM-31 SC flight objective is the docking with
a 60-t ISS Orbital Complex and also the tasks solution of technical
support of the next construction phase of this complex.

The spacecraft docking with the Complex is planned to
be performed on November 02, 2000 (12 hr. 24 min by Moscow time, 9 hr.
24 min by Greenwich time).

The onboard systems operate in accordance with the selected
modes.

The following is envisaged by the flight program of the
ISS Expedition One crew:

• the Zvezda Service Module systems activation;
  
• the equipment installation, resupply of the Zvezda Service Module;
  
• the Station serviceability keeping;
  
• the Progress M1-4 vehicle docking;
  
• the Progress M1-4 vehicle unloading;
  
• the Progress M1-4 vehicle undocking;
  
• Space Shuttle Orbiter ** 4A, 5A, 5A.1 docking;
  
• redocking on the Soyuz TM-31 spacecraft with SM on FGB;
  
• the Progress M-44 vehicle docking;
• the scientific applied research
  program performance;
  
• the ISS-1 Expedition crew descent on Space Shuttle Orbiter 5A.1 –
  on February 24, landing – on February 26, 2001.

The Main Operative Management Group (MOMG) being at the
Moscow Mission Control Center (Korolev) and operating in co-operation
with specialists of the U.S. Control Center (Houston) controls the Soyuz
TM-31 SC flight. The MOMG members are heads and leading specialists
of S.P. Korolev RSC Energia, specialists of other enterprises and organizations.
The Flight Director is flight cosmonaut V.A. Soloviev.