Expedition 10 Launches, Heads to Space Station

The International Space Station’s next crew, Expedition 10 , is on its way. The ISS Soyuz 9 spacecraft carrying Commander Leroy Chiao and Flight Engineer Salizhan Sharipov blasted off from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 10:06 p.m. CDT Wednesday (0306 GMT Thursday). After a two-day chase, the Soyuz will dock with the Station at 11:25 p.m. CDT Friday (0425 GMT Saturday), beginning Expedition 10’s six-month stay at the orbital outpost.

Joining Chiao and Sharipov on the trip to the ISS is Russian Space Forces Test Cosmonaut Yuri Shargin. He will return to Earth with the Station’s current crew, Expedition 9 Commander Gennady Padalka and NASA ISS Science Officer Mike Fincke.

After the the Soyuz docks and leak checks are completed, Expedition 10 will enter the Station for the first time. The two crews will spend eight days conducting joint operations and ISS command handover activities. Shargin will perform scientific experiments.

Expedition 9 and Shargin will leave the Station aboard the ISS Soyuz 8 spacecraft and return to Earth on Oct. 23.