William Atkins
Wednesday, 27 May 2009 19:02
Science -
Space
Page 1 of 2
The International Space Station Expedition 20 crew launched from the Baikonou Cosmodrome on Wednesday, May 27, 2009. When they shake hands with the current ISS Expedition 19 crew already onboard the ISS, their meeting will mark the expansion of the Space Station from three to six crewmembers.
At 6:34 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) on Wednesday May 27, 2009, the Expedition 20 crew were launched inside a Soyuz TMA-15 spacecraft from the Baikonou Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
This crew will herald the beginning of six-person crews aboard the International Space Station.
When the Expedition 20 crew climbs onboard the ISS, all five members of the International Space Station will be represented: the United States (represented by NASA), Japan (JAXA), Canada (CSA), Russia (RSA, or Roscosmos), and the European Union (ESA).
NASA states in their article
Expedition 20 Crew Launches from Baikonur that
“All five of the international partner agencies – NASA, the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos), the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) – will be represented on orbit for the first time."
For additional information on the newly launched Expedition 20 team, go to:
NASA Expedition 20.
And, for more information on the currently onboard Expedition 19 team, visit
NASA Expedition 19.
Page two concludes with additional information on the mission, and an interview with the ISS Expedition 20 members.
