It's six-up on the ISS

Stephen Withers
Monday, 01 June 2009 11:27

Science - Space

The International Space Station now has a six-person crew.

The arrival of ESA astronaut Frank De Winne, Russian cosmonaut Roman Romanenko and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Robert Thirsk at the ISS over the weekend completes the six-person Expedition 20 crew.

They join Russian cosmonaut Gennady Padalka, NASA astronaut Michael Barratt and Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata.

Not only is this the first crew of six, it is also the first time that all five ISS partners will be simultaneously represented aboard.

Furthermore, De Winne will be the first European commander of an ISS crew (Expedition 21) when he takes over from Padalka in November.

De Winne, Romanenko and Thirsk travelled to the ISS aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft.