Cosmonaut news: 2005
News of the Cosmonaut Group, Отряд Космонавтов, for 2005. For ISS cosmonaut training reports, see the news section of the Energiya site.
February
Февраль
An updated Cosmonauts’ Group status for this month; thanks to Rex Hall via collectSPACE!
Russian Cosmonaut Group deployment, February 2005
MKS-10 – in space on ISS: Leroy Chiao, Salizhan Sharipov.
2005 missions: The deployments of Soyuz crews in 2005 are dependent on the Shuttle return to flight. The third seat on the April 2005 launch would have been Olsen but now disqualified so Vittori has been confirmed under a contract with ESA for two missions in 05.
| Mission | Prime | Backup |
|---|---|---|
| MKS-11 | Krikalyov | Tyurin |
| Phillips | Tani | |
| Vittori (Italy /ESA) | Thirsk (Canada) | |
| STS-121 | S. Volkov (the schedule still assumes a Soyuz launch for this crew) | |
| MKS-12 | William McArthur | Jeffrey Williams |
| Valeri Tokarev | Aleksandr Lazutkin | |
| Thomas Reiter | Leonid Eyharts |
Reiter might be given the 7th seat on STS-121 and stay on ISS.
The following crews are assumed to be launched on the Shuttle. Russia has entered into 3 commercial agreements for third seats on Soyuz in 2006 and 2007 with Malaysia, South Korea and Chile. Russia and the US need to conclude a new deal on American use of Soyuz.
| Mission | Prime | Backup |
|---|---|---|
| MKS-13 | Pavel Vinogradov | John Grunsfeld |
| Dmitri Kondratyev | Fyodor Yurchikhin | |
| Dan Tani | Oleg Kotov | |
| MKS-14 | J. Williams | Michael Lopez-Algeria |
| Aleksandr Lazutkin | Konstantin Kozeev | |
| Clayton Anderson | Gregg Riesman |
| MKS Training | Sunita Williams |
| MKS Group 1 (Flown candidates for missions awaiting assignment) | Yurii Lonchakov, Viktor Afanasyev, Yurii Baturin, Yurii Malenchenko, Sergei Treshchyov |
| MKS Group 2 (Air Force unflown candidates) | Roman Romanenko, Sergei Volkov, Aleksandr Skvortstov, Maxim Sura’ev |
| MKS Group 3 (Engineers unflown candidates) | Sergei Revin, Sergei Moshchenko, Oleg Skripochka, Michael Korniyenko |
| OKP Group 1 (Air Force candidates) | Aleksandr Samokutyayev, Anton Shkaplerov, Anatoli Ivanishin, Yevgeni Tarelkin, plus the Kazakhstan candidates (Aidun Aimbetov, Muzhtar Aimakhanov) |
| OKP Group 2 (engineer candidates) | Mark Serov, Andrei Borisenko, Oleg Artem’yev, Sergei Ryazanskii, Sergei Zhukov |
| IMBP | Boris Morukov |
| JSC Houston | Konstantin Val’kov |
| Energiya departments 292 and 293 | Aleksandr Kaleri |
| Resting post-mission | Gennadii Padalka and Yurii Shargin |
| Canada | Thirsk is undertaking Soyuz training |
| ESA | Reiter is training for a long duration mission likely to be Expedition 12 with a Russian and American. Launch on a Soyuz. Eyharts is his back-up |
April
Апрель
7/4
From Novosti Kosmonavtiki news release №466:
07/04/2005/09:44 Russian Federal Space Agency announced that the Cosmonauts’ Group will be enlarged
The Russian Federal Space Agency Roskosmos declared that the force of cosmonauts will be enlarged, reports the site www.vor.ru. The need for this arose in connection with the planned increase in the crews of the International Space Station after the renewal during May of the flights of the American shuttles. The selection of the candidatures of pilots and engineers has already begun. In all will be selected 12 people. In the Russian force of cosmonauts there are currently 44 people.
Russian version, Русская версия: Российское федеральное космическое агентство объявило о дополнительном наборе в отряд космонавтов.
22/4
Novosti Kosmonavtiki photo gallery: “Expedition training at NPP Zvezda”. Cosmonaut Sergei Revin and Astronaut Sunita Williams during an Orlan spacewalk training session.
May
Май
13/5
From Novosti Kosmonavtiki news release №473:
13/05/2005/10:23 In Zvezdni Gorodok the crew of the 10th Expedition will today solemnly meet
The cosmonauts who returned on 25 April from the half-year Expedition on the ISS, will on Friday, according to tradition, solemnly meet in Zvezdni Gorodok, in Moscow. “Official congratulations and well-deserved rewards will be obtained by the Russian Salizhan Sharipov, the American Leroy Chiao, and Italian Roberto Vittori,” reported the representative of the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center to RIA “News”.
Russian version, Русская версия: В Звездном городке сегодня будут торжественно встречать экипаж 10-й экспедиции.
14/5
From Novosti Kosmonavtiki news release №474:
NASA has declared the composition of the 12th Expedition to the ISS
NASA officially declared the names of the members of the 12th crew of International Space Station, which must leave in orbit in autumn of the present year. In it are included American astronaut William McArthur and Russian cosmonaut Valerii Tokarev.
It is also declared, that the astronaut of European space agency Thomas Reiter will complete endurance flight on board the ISS together with the Russian and American associates. He will leave for space on board the shuttle Atlantis during September of this year or only later, depending on the timetable of the renewal of the flights of the renewable ships.
Russian version, Русская версия: НАСА объявило состав 12-й экспедиции на МКС.
14/05/2005/00:05 The cosmonauts of the 10th Expedition on the ISS were awarded Yurii Gagarin’s decorations
The cosmonauts returning from the the 10th Expedition to the International Space Station – Salizhan Sharipov and Leroy Chiao – were awarded the decorations in the name of Yurii Gagarin and the medals of NASA. Italian Roberto Vittori, who worked on the ISS for a week within the framework of the visiting Expedition, was also rewarded, reports RIA News.
“It was not a simple flight, and was unique in its intensity, and the crew worked ‘excellently’, for which Roskosmos presents to you one of its highest rewards – of Yurii Gagarin’s signs”, said Nikolai Moiseyev, the deputy of Roskosmos, transferring to the cosmonauts a box containing the rewards.
“Leroy Chiao passed preparation to one astronaut kit; therefore to me it is especially pleasant to present to him and to his crew a well-deserved reward”, noted John Newman, the director of the manned programs of NASA, from his side. He also sequential time certified, that the flights of shuttles will be renewed soon. “Soon the shuttle will fly again, and partners can continue work in orbit”, he said.
“We hope that the shuttles finally will begin to fly, and on the ISS will work not two, as now, and not three, but six people, but without the shuttles the building of station will be stalled”, noted Vasiliy Tsibliyev, the leader of the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center, from his side.
“The flight was actually complex, but all tasks, which were placed before us, we carried out. We were pleased that we did everything in orbit”, replied Salizhan Sharipov, the flight engineer of the crew of the 10th Expedition. “There was aboard a very good psychological situation, and I, Leroy Chiao, am very grateful for the fact that we were lucky to work together – we could work together still half a year”, he added. “I feel, that Salizhan Sharipov – is as my brother”, emotionally and in good the Russian language noted aircraft commander Leroy Chiao.
Russian version, Русская версия: Космонавтов 10-й экспедиции на МКС наградили знаками Юрия Гагарина.
June
Июнь
28/6
From Novosti Kosmonavtiki news №483. All of the 2003 cosmonaut candidates passed their exams after two years of initial training.
29/06/2005/00:01 Examinations are passed successfully
In TSPK (named after Yu.A. Gagarin) on 27-28 June of this year took place the handing over of examinations by cosmonaut candidates Sergei Zhukov, Aleksandr Samokutyaev, Yevgeny Tarelkin, Sergei Ryazanskii, Andrey Borisenko, Anatolii Ivanishin, Anton Shkaplerov, Oleg Artem’ev, Mark Serov, Aidyn Aimbetov and Mukhtar Aymakhanov. The examinations assumed commission under the chairmanship of the first deputy chief of TSPK, Major General Valerii Korzun. All candidates passed in the examinations with excellent results.
On 5 July under the chairmanship of the chief of TSPK, Vasiliy Tsibliyev, is planned a session of the Department of Examinations (MVKK), who will decide the awarding to candidates of qualification of either cosmonaut-tester or cosmonaut-researcher, taking into account estimation according to final exam results, and also the level of the passage of the program of general spaceflight preparation.
Russian version, Русская версия: Экзамены сданы на отлично.
Cosmonauts become candidates
S. Shamsutdinov, Novosti Kosmonavtiki/News of Cosmonautics
27 and 28 June, 2005. In RGNII TSPK named after Yu.A. Gagarin, at the end of the two-year general spaceflight preparation course (OKP, общекосмической подготовки), nine Russian and two Kazakhstan cosmonaut candidates passed the state examinations:
- Samokutyaev Aleksandr Mikhaylovich, Lieutenant Colonel, RGNII TSPK candidate;
- Shkaplerov Anton Nikolayevich, Lieutenant Colonel, RGNII TSPK candidate;
- Ivanishin Anatoliy Alekseyevich, Major, RGNII TSPK candidate;
- Tarelkin Yevgeny Igorevich, Major, RGNII TSPK candidate;
- Artem’ev Oleg Germanovich, RKK Energiya candidate;
- Borisenko Andrey Ivanovich, RKK Energiya candidate;
- Serov, Mark Vyacheslavovich, RKK Energiya candidate;
- Ryazansk, Sergei Nikolayevich, GNTS IMBP candidate;
- Zhukov, Sergei Alexandrovich, Roskosmos candidate;
- Aimbetov, Aidyn Akanovich, candidate from Kazakhstan;
- Aymakhanov, Mukhtar Rabatovich, candidate from Kazakhstan.
According to the OKP program in the period from June 2003 through June 2005, the cosmonaut candidates passed the following preparation courses:
- The theoretical bases of cosmonautics: the theory of PKA flight, the PKA administration system, basis of space navigation, basis of the ISS computer systems, basis of aviation and aerospace biomedicine and psychology.
- The technical training: construction and onboard systems of the Soyuz TMA and Russian Segment, practical training on the trainers and the stands, life-support systems and spacesuits, photo-preparation, conducting telecasts, basis of robot technology, acquaintance with the launching system.
- The bases of scientific studies and experiments: space technology and materials science, biotechnological experiments, biological studies, astrophysics, space studies of the geosphere and geophysical experiments, the ecological monitoring of natural environment by the PKA crews.
Novosti Kosmonavtiki №8, 2005: «Кандидаты стали космонавтами».
August
Август
29/8
Cosmonaut Aleksander Lazutkin was grounded at the beginning of August due to an unspecified medical condition (something related to his heart), as described in this ITAR-TASS article (via collectSPACE):
A replacement has occurred in the composition of the backup of the 12th Prime Expedition to the International Space Station, which must leave for orbit at the beginning of October. At the beginning of August Aleksandr Lazutkin, for medical indications, was removed from the composition of the backup crew of ISS-12. Instead of him Mikhail Turin was assigned, who had backed up the commander ISS-11 Sergei Krikalyov (now working in orbit). In the backup team, despite the practice of changing the entire crew in the case of the disease of one person, this time only one swap occurred. Jeffrey Williams, as before, backs up NASA astronaut William McArthur, and as the understudy of the third space tourist Gregory Olsen appears the head of the Russian representation of the “Space Adventures” company, Sergei Kostenko.
Russian version, Русская версия:
Врачи сняли Александра Лазуткина с подготовки к полету на МКС
29/08/2005, 13.25МОСКВА, 29 августа. Корр. ИТАР-ТАСС Елена Зубцова. В составе дублеров 12-й основной экспедиции на Международную космическую станцию, которая должна в начале октября отправиться на орбиту, произошла замена.
В начале августа Александр Лазуткин по медицинским показаниям был выведен из состава дублирующего экипажа МКС-12, вместо него назначен Михаил Тюрин, который дублировал работающего сейчас на орбите командира МКС-11 Сергея Крикалева.
В команде дублеров, вопреки практике менять весь экипаж в случае болезни одного человека, в этот раз произошла всего одна ротация. Астронавта НАСА Уильяма Макартура по-прежнему страхует Джеффри Уильямс, а дублером третьего космического туриста Грегори Олсена выступает глава российского представительства компании «Спейс эдвенчурс» Сергей Костенко.
ISS crews designation, as of 29/8
From the Novosti Kosmonavtiki forum: ISS crews designation. Some tidbits and gossip (Konstantin Kozeev has been eating rather too well! Aleksandr Lazutkin developed a heart ailment and had to be removed from training).
Thus, at long last I report about all changes in the ISS crews.
At the end of July 2005 the Soyuz TMA crews were affirmed. In the basic crew was assigned two members of the ISS-12 expedition: Valerii Tokarev and William McArthur, and also Gregory Olsen (9th Visiting Expedition); in the backup crew were assigned Aleksandr Lazutkin, Jeffery Williams and Sergei Kostenko (the latter Head of the Diplomatic Mission of company Space Adventures in Russia; Olsen’s backup).
However, at the beginning of August an unforeseen situation happened. While located at the training session in the Johnson Space Center, on 9 August Aleksandr Lazutkin suddenly felt bad. He was urgently delivered to the cardiological department of one of the hospitals of Houston, where he was detained for several days. The Russian doctors who urgently arrived established that Aleksandr requires a comprehensive medical examination and a course of special treatment. On this basis he was removed from further training and taken off the composition of the crew. In the middle of August A. Lazutkin returned to his native land, and now has passed inspection and maintains a regime specified by doctors.
Mikhail Turin was urgently recalled from leave to replace Aleksandr Lazutkin, who at this time rested at the Ladoga Lake. Turin passed the training for the ISS-11 backup crew, and therefore in summer was assigned to the new training. On 18 August Mikhail began training in the composition of the ISS-12 duplicating crew together with Jeffrey Williams and Sergei Kostenko. Already in the middle of September the crews of the 12th expedition have completed training, and they will pass complex examinations.
Because of the removal of A. Lazutkin from training, a change also occurred in the composition of the ISS-14 basic crew: instead of Lazutkin, M. Tyurin is included in this crew. The ISS-14 duplicating crew was also correspondingly adjusted. During June 2005 on requirement NASA from the crew was brought out K. Kozeyev and he was transferred into the preparation into the group “ISS Group 3”. It turned out that Constantine had recently put on considerable weight and could not work in the American EVA spacesuit: he simply could not get in. Instead of K. Kozeyev it was intended to appoint M. Tyurin to the crew, but, as mentioned above, he was unexpectedly assigned elsewhere. The place of the Russian member of the ISS-14 backup crew, until now, remains vacant. Thus far in this crew only two astronauts are assigned: Michael Lopez-Alegria and Garrett Reisman.
On 15 August RGNII TSPK began the preparation of the new group of cosmonauts, which was designated “ISS-15/16/17”. The solution about the creation of this group was accepted at the session of the MCOP international commission of 20-22 June 2005 in Canada. Subsequently from this composition will be formed the crews of the 15th, 16th and 17th expeditions on the ISS.
The composition of the group was agreed to at the end of July. It is comprised of seven Russian cosmonauts (Yurii Lonchakov, Aleksandr Kaleri, Sergei Volkov, the novel of Romanenko, Maxim Surayev, Oleg Kononenko, Mikhail Korniyenko) and seven NASA astronauts (Peggy Whitson, Sandra Magnus, Gregory Chamitoff, Michael Barratt, Timothy Kopra, Robert Behnken, Nicole Stott). It is assumed that three European cosmonauts (Leopold Eyharts, André Kuipers, Frank de Winne) and also Canadian Robert Thirsk and Japanese Koichi Wakata – will later also be included in the group. All five will be subsequently included in the compositions of the ISS basic expeditions.
Attention is drawn to the fact that among the Russian and American astronauts there are many novices who still have no spaceflight experience.
Of 14 people, only four have experience of spaceflight: A. Kaleri, Yu. Lonchakov, P. Whitson and S. Magnus.
According to the unofficial information, the predistribution of Russian cosmonauts on the ISS crews is also known.
It is assumed that to the basic crew ISS-15 will be assigned O. Kotov (Soyuz commander, ISS flight engineer) and F. Yurchikhin (Soyuz commander, ISS flight engineer). At present theyare preparing to be backups for the ISS-13 crew. The commander of the 15th expedition will be P. Whitson. In the ISS-15 backup crew is M. Surayev (Soyuz commander, ISS flight engineer) and M. Korniyenko (Soyuz and ISS flight engineer).
In the ISS-16 crews there must be one Russian each. Moreover, it was planned that the commander of the 16th Expedition basic crew would be M. Tyurin, and Yu. Lonchakov would be his backup. In connection with the fact that Turin is now assigned to Expedition 14, probably, Yu. Lonchakov will probably become commander of ISS-16, and one of the experienced Russian cosmonauts will be assigned as his backup.
Finally, it is intended to form the ISS-17 crew in the following compositions: basic crew – S. Volkov (Soyuz commander, ISS flight engineer) and O. Kononenko (Soyuz and ISS flight engineer); backup crew – R. Romanenko (Soyuz commander, ISS flight engineer) and A. Kaleri (Soyuz and ISS flight engineer).
On 15 August only seven Russian cosmonauts were beginning their training. It is expected that the astronauts will added to the training somewhat later.
Russian version, Русская версия:
Итак, наконец-то сообщаю обо всех изменениях в экипажах МКС.
В конце июля 2005 г. были утверждены экипажи «Союза ТМА-7». В основной экипаж вошли два члена 12-й экспедиции на МКС Валерий Токарев и Уилльям МакАртур, а также Грегори Олсен (9-я экспедиция посещения); в дублирующий экипаж были назначены Александр Лазуткин, Джеффри Уилльямс и Сергей Костенко (глава представительства компании Space Adventures в России; дублер Олсена).
Однако в начале августа случилась непредвиденная ситуация. Находясь на тренировочной сессии в Космическом центре Джонсона, 9 августа Александр Лазуткин внезапно почувствовал себя плохо. Он был срочно доставлен в кардиологическое отделение одного из госпиталей Хьюстона, где находился в течение нескольких дней. Срочно приехавшие российские врачи констатировали, что Александру требуется всестороннее медицинское обследование и курс специального лечения. На этом основании он был отстранен от дальнейших тренировок и выведен из состава экипажа. В середине августа А.Лазуткин вернулся на родину, и сейчас проходит обследование и соблюдает режим, предписанный врачами.
На замену Александру Лазуткину был срочно вызван из отпуска Михаил Тюрин, который в это время отдыхал на Ладожском озере. Тюрин прошел подготовку в дублирующем экипаже МКС-11, и поэтому с лету смог подключиться к новой подготовке. 18 августа Михаил приступил к тренировкам в составе дублирующего экипажа МКС-12 вместе с Джеффри Уилльямсом и Сергеем Костенко. Уже в середине сентября экипажи 12-й экспедиции завершают тренировки, и будут сдавать комплексные экзамены.
Из-за отстранения от подготовки А.Лазуткина произошло изменение и в составе основного экипажа МКС-14: вместо него в этот экипаж включен М.Тюрин. Подвергся корректировке и дублирующий экипаж МКС-14. В июне 2005 г. по требованию NASA из экипажа был выведен К.Козеев и переведен на подготовку в группу «МКС-гр3». Оказалось, что Константин в последнее время значительно прибавил в весе и не может работать в американском выходном скафандре: он просто в него не влезает. Вместо К.Козеева в экипаж предполагалось назначить М.Тюрина, но, как выше говорилось, он неожиданно по лучил другое назначение. Место российского члена дублирующего экипажа 14-й экспедиции до сих пор остается вакантным. Пока в этом экипаже числятся только два астронавта: Майкл Лопес-Алегриа и Гарретт Рейзман.
15 августа в РГНИИ ЦПК началась подготовка новой группы космонавтов, которая получила обозначение «МКС-15/16/17». Решение о создании этой группы было принято на заседании международной комиссии MCOP 20-22 июня 2005 г. в Канаде. В последующем из ее состава будут сформированы экипажи 15-й, 16-й и 17-й экспедиций на МКС.
Состав группы был согласован в конце июля. В нее вошли семь российских космонавтов (Юрий Лончаков, Александр Калери, Сергей Волков, Роман Романенко, Максим Сураев, Олег Кононенко, Михаил Корниенко) и семь астронавтов NASA (Пегги Уитсон, Сандра Мэгнус, Грегори Чамитофф, Майкл Барратт, Тимоти Копра, Роберт Бенкен, Николь Стотт). Предполагается, что в состав группы позднее будут также включены три европейских космонавта Леопольд Эйартц, Андре Кёйперс, Франк Де Винн, а также канадец Роберт Тирск и японец Коити Ваката. Все пятеро впоследствии будут включены в сотавы основных экспедиций на МКС.
Обращает на себя внимание тот факт, что среди российских и американских космонавтов много новичков, которые еще ни разу не летали в космос. Из 14 человек опыт космических полетов имеют только четверо: А.Калери, Ю.Лончаков, П.Уитсон и С.Мэгнус.
По неофициальной информации, стало также известно предварительное распределение российских космонавтов по экипажам МКС.
Предполагается, что в основной экипаж МКС-15 будут назначены О.Котов (командир ТК и бортинженер МКС) и Ф.Юрчихин (бортинженер ТК и МКС). В настоящее время они проходят подготовку в составе дублирующего экипажа МКС-13. Командиром 15-й экспедиции может стать П.Уитсон. В дублирующий экипаж МКС-15 планируются М.Сураев (командир ТК и бортинженер МКС) и М.Корниенко (бортинженер ТК и МКС).
В экипажах МКС-16 должно быть по одному россиянину. Причем, командиром основного экипажа 16-й экспедиции планировался М.Тюрин, а его дублером – Ю.Лончаков. В связи с тем, что Тюрин теперь должен слетать в составе 14-й экспедиции, вероятно, командиром МКС-16 станет Ю.Лончаков, а в дублеры ему будет назначен кто-то из опытных российских космонавтов.
Наконец, экипажи МКС-17 предполагается сформировать в следующих составах: основной экипаж – С.Волков (командир ТК и бортинженер МКС) и О.Кононенко (бортинженер ТК и МКС), дублирующий экипаж – Р.Романенко (командир ТК и бортинженер МКС) и А.Калери (бортинженер ТК и МКС).
15 августа к подготовке приступили пока только семь российских космонавтов. Ожидается, что астронавты подключатся к тренировкам несколько позднее.
Вот такие пока новости.
September
Сентябрь
13/9
From Novosti Kosmonavtiki №11, 2005:
By the RF President’s Decree of 13 September 2005, for courage and heroism that was evident during international space flight, to RF airman-cosmonaut and Yu.A. Gagarin RGNII TSPK cosmonaut-tester Colonel Sharipov. To Salizhan Shakirovich is awarded the title of Hero of the Russian Federation. Salizhan Sharipov completed two space flights. During the first, he flew on the shuttle between 22-31 January 1998, but during this flight of any state reward honored not was the Title of Hero of Russia. S.Sh. Sharipov carried out his second flight on the ISS (long-duration) and the Soyuz ТМА-5 spaceship as part of the crew of the 10th Expedition, which took place from 14 October 2004 to 25 April 2005.
Russian version, Русская версия:
Указом Президента РФ от 13 сентября 2005 г. за мужество и героизм, проявленные во время международного космического полета, летчику-космонавту РФ, космонавту-испытателю РГНИИ ЦПК имени Ю.А.Гагарина, полковнику Шарипову Салижану Шакировичу присвоено звание Героя Российской Федерации. Салижан Шарипов совершил два космических полета. Первый раз он летал на шаттле 22-31 января 1998 г., но за этот полет никакой государственной награды удостоен не был. Звание Героя России С.Ш.Шарипов получил а второй полет – на МКС (длительный) и корабле «Союз ТМА-5» в составе экипаа 10-й экспедиции, который он выполнил с 14 октября 2004 г. по 25 апреля 2005 г.
19/9
From Novosti Kosmonavtiki news №501:The new ISS crew at Baikonur test their individual seats
The members of the crew of the 12th Expedition to the ISS – Valerii Tokarev, William McArthur, and the space tourist Gregory Olsen, who arrived the day before at Baikonur, will be fitted in their flight spacesuits and will test the individual seats of the Soyuz spacecraft, reported a Roskosmos representative to RIA Novosti on Monday.
“The day before, the crews of the 12th basic and back-up Expedition to the ISS flew from Zvezdni Gorodok (Star City) to the spaceport Baikonur, arriving for conducting the training in the descent vehicle of the Soyuz. At the spaceport they will try on their Sokol suits, which are manufactured individually, and test the seats in the ship”, he noted.
After the completion of training, the Soyuz TMA-7 will be transported to the servicing station at Area №31 of the spaceport for conducting the servicing by propellant components and by the compressed gases of its engine installation. The launch of the Soyuz-FG carrier rocket containing the manned spacecraft Soyuz TMA-7 is planned for 1 October, 2005.
Russian version, Русская версия: Новый экипаж МКС на Байконуре опробует индивидуальные кресла-ложементы.
21/9
“Aleksandr Lazukin medically-grounded” posting at collectSPACE: “A few days ago I was in Novosti Kosmonavtiki in Moscow and incidentally met with Lazutkin. He said he was grounded forever.”
October
Октябрь
From Novosti Kosmonavtiki №12, 2005:
In the middle of October 2005 the Russian Federation airman-cosmonaut Salizhan Sharipov was directed to the mission to the Johnson Space Center (NASA) as the representative of Yu.A. Gagarin RGNII TsPK. At this post S. Sharipov replaced the cosmonaut-tester Konstantine Val’kov, who worked in the Johnson Center from September 2004. After a break, K.A. Val’kov will again resume the preparation at TSPK in ISS group 2.
By the RF President’s Decree of 31 October 2005. Aleksandr Yur’evich Kaleri – instructor-cosmonaut-tester №1247, deputy division head of RKK Energiya – is rewarded with the Order of Friendship. "For selflessness and a high level of professionalism that was evident with the achievement of 195 days of space flight, and strengthening friendship between the peoples", the edict said. This state reward to A.Yu. Kaleri honored him during his fourth space flight, which he carried out from 18 October, 2003, through 30 April, 2004, on the ISS and Soyuz ТМА-3 as part of the eighth Expedition Crew.
Russian version, Русская версия:
В середине октября 2005 г. летчик-космонавт РФ Салижан Шарипов был направлен в командировку в Космический центр имени Джонсона (NASA) в качестве представителя РГНИИ ЦПК имени Ю.А.Гагарина. На этом посту С.Шарипов сменил космонавта-испытателя Константина Валькова, работавшего в Центре Джонсона с сентября 2004 г. После отпуска К.А.Вальков вновь приступит к подготовке в ЦПК в группе «МКС-гр2».
Указом Президента РФ от 31 октября 2005 г. №1247 инструктор-космонавт-испытатель, заместитель начальника отдела ОАО «РКК «Энергия»» Александр Юрьевич Калери награжден орденом Дружбы. «За самоотверженность и высокий профессионализм, проявленные при осуществлении 195-суточного космического полета, и укрепление дружбы между народами», - говорится в указе. Этой государственной награды А.Ю.Калери удостоен за свой четвертый космический полет, который он выполнил с 18 октября 2003 г. по 30 апреля 2004 г. на МКС и корабле «Союз ТМА-3» в составе экипажа 8-й экспедиции.
3/10
From Novosti Kosmonavtiki news №504:
03/10/2005/11:05 The cosmonauts created one additional glorious tradition at Baikonur
Cosmonauts are superstitious people, and pay special attention to tradition. During the recent preflight training in Baikonur, the duplicating crew of International Space Station Basic Expedition 12 was borne one additional remarkable tradition, reports a correspondent of Kazinform. During the entire week prior to the launch, Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Turin, NASA astronaut Jeffrey Williams and Roskosmos representative Sergei Kostenko ran the required program of traditional measures with pleasure. Among them was an encounter with the association for the administration of the internal affairs of the Baikonur space complex, which ensures order and safety with conducting of the launching of automatic spacecraft.
Present gift for all inhabitants of Baikonur city became the appearance of members of the duplicating crew at the holiday of the “gold autumn of Baikonur”.
In the sign of respect for the city, which becomes a native place for many cosmonauts, understudies recently began to accomplish excursions to Baikonur. This time they not only visited the sights, laid flowers to the monuments to the trailblazers of space, but also visited the spaceport history urban museum, becoming its first visitors after its recent repair. Here they placed sequential tradition, after leaving autographs on a special stand. Now all space crews, which attend museum, will be painted here, and this will become one additional relic of the spaceport history museum.
The veterans of the urban museum, who remember encounters with the first Soviet cosmonauts, expressed hope that will revive one additional forgotten tradition of Baikonur – by entire world, with music by an orchestra, with colors to meet the cosmonauts arrived here, the worthy sons of its earth, real heroes.
Russian version, Русская версия: Космонавты заложили на Байконуре еще одну славную традицию.
4/10
From Novosti Kosmonavtiki news №504:
04/10/2005/00:01 Into space – with her husband?
Helen Serov, an engineer of Mission Control Center, and wife of Mark Serov a member of the force RKK Energiya, presented documents for enrolment into the force of cosmonauts and now is pass testing to the readiness to fly into the beyond the clouds they gave. On this reported the newspaper Chelyabinsk Worker for 28 September.
But the probability that Helen Serov will be able to become a cosmonaut is small. Today in Russia there is not one woman, who is prepared for space flights.
Russian version, Русская версия: В космос – с мужем?
November
Ноябрь
Encyclopedia Astronote: “On the activities of the 2006 selection” | «О начале и ходе набора 2006 года» – news of the next cosmonaut selection.
2006 selection
The intention to select the next group of cosmonauts was mentioned for the first time by the head of the Federal space agency of Russia (Roskosmos), Anatoly Perminov, even in the autumn of 2004. But, as the information was vague, it had not attracted special attention.
On 7 April 2005, more precise information appeared. During this day, the Roskosmos press-secretary, Vyacheslav Davidenko, reported to the Interfaks agency that in 2005 12 additional people will be selected to add to the cosmonaut group. In this case, according to him, six people will be selected from the Energiya Rocket & Space Corporation, and six additional people from the Cosmonaut Training Center at Star City, Zvezdni Gorodok.
According to information from Sergei Shamsutdinov, who reported this on the Novosti Kosmonavtiki forum, at present (April 2005) preparatory work is taking place. The medical stage of the inspections of aspirants (in IMBP and TsVNIAG) will begin from the autumn of 2005. Probably, from the end of 2005 to the beginning of 2006, the first aspirants will obtain admittance to the GMK. But in the spring of 2006 they can take place in the GMVK, which will select candidates for the new collection.
On 28 September 2005, in the newspaper Chelyabinsk Worker, there appeared a note about the first aspirant, who passed the medical examination for enrollment into the force. This was the wife of cosmonaut Mark Serov, 28-year-old Helen Serov, an employee of RKK Energiya. Thus is obtained one additional confirmation of the fact that the selection has actually began.
December
Декабрь
8/12
From Novosti Kosmonavtiki №519, the ISS Expedition 13 crew has been announced:
The crew of the 13th expedition to the ISS is named
8/12/2005/14:12 The names of the crew members of the 13th Basic Expedition onboard the International Space Station were officially named yesterday. The launch of the Expedition takes place in the spring of 2006.
Participants in the crew are Russian Pavel Vinogradov and American Jeffrey Williams. Together with them will fly the first Brazilian astronaut Marcus Pontes, to whom on 7 December of this year the main Roskosmos medical board gave approval to the flight.
Russian version, Русская версия: Назван экипаж 13-й экспедиции на МКС.
12/12
From Novosti Kosmonavtiki news №519: The latest ISS crew roster.
12/12/2005/10:11 The ISS-13 and ISS-14 crews are agreed upon
In the period from 30 November through 2 December 2005, the session of the MCOP international commission took place in the USA, at which were discussed questions concerning the formation of sequential crews on the ISS.
As a result of multi-party negotiations (Roskosmos, NASA and ESA) it was possible to form an ISS flight program for 2006, and in the preliminary order to also agree on compositions of crews ISS-13 and ISS-14.
Designated ISS crews for 2006: 12 December 2005 Mission Prime Backup ISS-13/TMA-8 (22 March) Pavel Vinogradov – ISS and Soyuz commander Michael Finke – ISS commander and Soyuz flight engineer Jeffrey Williams – ISS and Soyuz flight engineer Fedor Yurchikhin – Soyuz commander and ISS flight engineer ISS-14/TMA-9 (13 September) Michael Lopez-Alegria – ISS commander and Soyuz flight engineer Peggy Whitson – ISS commander and Soyuz flight engineer Mikhail Tyurin – Soyuz commander and ISS flight engineer Yurii Malenchenko – Soyuz commander and ISS flight engineer The ESA cosmonaut Thomas Reiter (and his understudy Leopold Eyharts) will become part of the third crew member of ISS-13, already in orbit (launch on 3 May, 2006, on STS-121). For the changeover, T. Reiter must launch on 1 October 2006, (STS-116) Sunita Williams – third member of crew ISS-14. She will work on the station until the arrival and changeover of the following NASA astronaut on STS-118 (launch on 15 March 2007).
It is assumed that the third seat in the Soyuz TMA-8 will be occupied by the first Brazilian cosmonaut, Marcus Pontes (EP-10, VC-10), and on the Soyuz TMA-9 will fly the fourth “kosmotourist”, Japanese Daisuke Enomoto (EP-11), but the agreement concerning his flight is not thus far signed and he has not yet begun preparations.
Although the compositions of crews ISS-13 and 14 in principle are coordinated, nevertheless there remained some questions, which are subject to refinement, which are now solved operationally.
It is expected that the final decision of MCOP in the form of a resolution will be accepted by the following week, and only then it will be possible to consider that the crews are affirmed.
In the first quarter of 2006 the negotiations of the parties will be continued for the purpose of forming the of crews ISS-15-18 for the years 2007-08.
One should also note that the crew ISS-15 must comprise two Russian cosmonauts and one NASA astronaut, who will arrive at the station on STS-118 (for the changeover of S. Williams). Hence it follows that on Soyuz TMA-10 (launch on 9 March 2007) will fly two Russian cosmonauts (members of the ISS-15 crew), and the third seat, most likely, will be occupied by the first South Korean cosmonaut (EP-12, Visiting Crew 12).
– S.Sh.
Russian version, Русская версия: Согласованы экипажи МКС-13 и МКС-14.
Other sources:
- Novosti Kosmonavtiki forum discussion (in Russian): «МКС-13: недопонял…». Yuriii Malenchenko apparently does not wish to be under the command of Peggy Whitson!
- NASAspaceflight.com: Flight crew assignments discussion.
The obvious problem with all this (as noted in that forum entry) – where are the seats for the cosmonauts who have yet to fly a first mission? There do not seem to be any assigned to Shuttle missions, either.