Russian space capsule transfers new crew to ISS

Russia’s Soyuz TMA-2 space capsule today successfully docked with the international space station and transferred US astronaut Edward Lu and Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko.

They are replacing US astronauts Kenneth Bowersox and Donald Pettit who, along with Russian cosmonaut Nikolai Budarin, have been stuck on the ISS since the Columbia Shuttle disaster on February 1.

The two crews greeted each other with hugs after the procedure was completed and the hatch was opened, about 250 miles above the Earth.

The Russian spacecraft had blasted off on Saturday morning from Russia’s Baikonur cosmodrome in the Kazakhstan steppes on its way to the £38bn (€54bn) space station.

Lu’s mother, Snowlily, was on hand for the docking at Mission Control outside Moscow. “I am just so happy and proud to see everything work out so well,” she said.

Also at mission control was Lu’s fiancee Christine Romero. “This is amazing. It gives me a lot of relief to see that they’re up there,” she said.

“Everyone is proud not just for what Ed is doing, but for Nasa and the international space station and for the space programme as a whole, especially after the Columbia.”

Snowlily Lu said officials were setting up equipment for her to communicate with Edward from her home. “The first thing I’ll say is congratulations. You’ve done a great job,” she said.

Lu and Malenchenko are bringing gifts to celebrate the birthdays of Pettit, who turned 48 on April 20, and Budarin who turns 50 tomorrow.

But there will not be much time to celebrate: the crews have a lot of information to exchange. The trio currently on the ISS must give the newcomers a tour and explain safety procedures.

The American and Russian duo will give Bowersox, Pettit and Budarin a refresher course on how to operate the Soyuz capsule, which they will use to return to Earth on May 3.

The three returning crew members will be taking back an older Soyuz already docked to the station, while the one carrying Lu and Malenchenko will stay up there with them as an “emergency lifeboat” in case they need to evacuate quickly.

The trio’s return on the Soyuz will mark the first time US astronauts have come home on a Russian space vessel. Originally they had planned to return on a US shuttle, but the Columbia disaster forced the grounding of the US fleet.

The Russian Soyuz then became the only ship capable of carrying crews to and from the space outpost, giving it a vital role in keeping the station manned.

Lu and Malenchenko, who briefly visited the space station in 2000 before it was permanently occupied, are scheduled to remain onboard until October.