spacetoday.net: Soyuz launches ISS crew, tourist

Soyuz launches ISS crew, tourist

Posted: Fri, Mar 27, 2009, 7:56 AM ET (1156 GMT)
Soyuz TMA-14 launch (NASA)

A Soyuz rocket launched a spacecraft Thursday carrying replacement ISS crew members and a returning space tourist. The Soyuz rocket lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 7:49 am EDT (1149 GMT) Thursday and placed the Soyuz TMA-14 spacecraft into orbit. On board the spacecraft is new Expedition 19 commander Gennady Padalka and flight engineer Michael Barratt, as well as commercial passenger Charles Simonyi, making his second trip to the ISS. The Soyuz will dock with the ISS Saturday at about 9:14 am EDT (1314 GMT). Simonyi will return April 7 on the Soyuz TMA-13 spacecraft already docked to the station, along with current ISS Expedition 18 crew members Mike Fincke and Yury Lonchakov.