Russian Soyuz Docks With Space Station, Doubles Its Crew

[Purveyor]

A Russian Soyuz capsule docked with the International Space Station Friday, doubling the lab's crew to six in a long-awaited milestone intended to boost productivity and science output.

With second-generation cosmonaut Roman Romanenko monitoring an automated approach, the Soyuz TMA-15 spacecraft docked with an Earth-facing port on the Russian Zarya module at 8:34 a.m. EDT as the two spacecraft sailed through orbital darkness 218 miles above the Pacific Ocean east of Taiwan.

"And now, it's perfectly in the center, all the crosses have aligned," someone said, watching a docking target on the space station as the Soyuz closed in. "We are approaching the center, we are going a little bit lower for pitch and we expect contact. Start the timer...we have contact!"

The docking completed a carefully orchestrated rendezvous that began Wednesday when Romanenko, European Space Agency astronaut Frank De Winne of Belgium, and Canadian astronaut Robert Thirsk blasted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

After leak checks, hatches between the two spacecraft were opened at 10:14 a.m. and Expedition 20 commander Gennady Padalka, NASA flight engineer Michael Barratt, and Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata welcomed their new crewmates aboard with hugs and handshakes.

"It is wonderful to see all six of you up there, all five partners working together, it's a historic day," radioed Canadian Space Agency President Steve MacLean, a veteran shuttle astronaut who helped build the station. "With eight vehicles coming up during your six-month mission, you're going to be very, very busy. I just want you to know all Canadians will be watching, especially you, Bob, for the next 180 days. Congratulations, great launch the other day, fantastic docking, and enjoy. Enjoy."

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CNET: http://news.cnet.com/8301-19514_3-10252007-239.html