NASA ISS Astronaut Has No Worries Over Earth Return

A NASA astronaut riding aboard the International Space Station (ISS) said Wednesday that he is not concerned with his eventual return to Earth, despite questions over which spacecraft will transport home back from the orbital laboratory.

"I'm not really so worried about coming back," ISS Expedition 12 commander Bill McArthur told the Associated Press via a video interview on NASA TV. "I know that NASA is putting a lot of effort into it."

McArthur is slated to return to Earth with Expedition 12 flight engineer Valery Tokarev aboard the Soyuz TMA-7 spacecraft that delivered the two astronauts and U.S. space tourist Gregory Olsen to the ISS on Oct. 3. NASA officials, however, said there is some flexibility in that plan should a U.S. space shuttle be ready to fly in the spring of 2006.

Recent Gulf Coast hurricanes and ongoing external tank work have delayed the launch of NASA's second return to flight shuttle mission, STS-121 aboard Discovery. The spaceflight is expected to launch some time next spring.

Before launching toward the space station, McArthur had hoped to spend about 213 days in orbit and return aboard a U.S. space shuttle in May 2006, about one month after Tokarev left the station aboard Soyuz TMA-7.

"If I don't make it back in April, I've already told my wife that she's going to have to file for an extension on our income tax return," McArthur said. "But we'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

McArthur added that he'd welcome the opportunity to return to Earth with Tokarev after spending years training with the Russian Federal Space Agency cosmonaut for their ISS mission.

Changing the ISS guard

McArthur and Tokarev are taking over ISS control from Expedition 11 commander Sergei Krikalev and flight engineer John Phillips.

Phillips told the Associated Press that he felt the Expedition 11 flight - which saw the first space shuttle visit to the ISS since December 2002 - has gone smoothly, but looks forward to the everyday sights and sounds of Earth.

"It's been a lot of fun, a big adventure and everything I hoped for," said Phillips, who is concluding his first long-duration spaceflight with Expedition 11. "But it's time to come home."

Phillips and McArthur are spending this week going over station handover procedures with their crewmates. Both NASA astronauts said that although current ISS expeditions are set at six-month intervals, they could personally envision spending one or more years aboard the orbital platform.

"The biggest psychological issue is how your family is faring back home," Phillips said, adding that he's missed attending his children's soccer games and orchestra performances during his time on orbit. "I don't want to miss those family events."

Phillips, Krikalev and Olsen will return to Earth on Oct. 10 aboard their Soyuz TMA-6 spacecraft.

• Gregory Olsen: Third Space Tourist Aims for Orbit
• Image Gallery: Space Tourist Greg Olsen prepares for launch
• Complete Coverage: ISS Expedition 11
• Complete Coverage: ISS Expedition 12