Next Space Station Crew Ready for Shuttle's Return

摘要

The next crew bound for the international space station (ISS) is preparing for a mission that, they hope, will see the arrival of at least one space shuttle and possibly the addition of a third crew member. Cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev and NASA astronaut John Phillips, the crew of the Expedition 11 to the ISS, are gearing up for an April 15 launch. The two space veterans are set to ride their Soyuz TMA-6 spacecraft into orbit and spend six months aboard the space station. During that time the space shuttle Discovery and At-lantis are slated to meet up with the orbiting laboratory. "This is a very important step," said Krikalev, who is commanding the mission, during a Feb. 3 press briefing.