Officials at the launch site report that the rocket is fully fueled, all systems are activated and the downrange area has either been cleared or warnings issued about the potential for falling spent-rocket stages. Wintry weather with snow and bitter cold temperatures isn't expected to affect the launch.

Musabayev and Baturin are flying a Soyuz spacecraft up to the International Space Station to replace the Soyuz vehicle that has been docked at the outpost since Nov. 2, 2000. Having paid some $12 million to $20 million for the ticket, Tito is riding along in the otherwise unused third seat of the Soyuz capsule.

"Right now I feel better than I've ever felt in my entire life," Tito, a former aerospace engineer who made his fortune working in high finance, said during a press conference at the launch site on Friday.

Friday evening the crew enjoyed a 30-year-old classic Russian movie called White Sun of a Desert, about the 1918-22 Russian Civil War fought over the consolidation of Soviet power in Central Asia after the 1917 revolution. Watching the movie is another of the many preflight traditions that cosmonauts honor.

This morning, matching a schedule of events followed by dozens of cosmonauts before them, the trio started their day with a final shower and regular medical examination that takes about 10 minutes and includes measuring blood pressure and weight.

Next, each cosmonaut's body was wiped down with towels soaked in disinfectant. That's followed by putting on fresh clothes and joining crewmates for breakfast.

The menu is generally similar to a continental-type breakfast you might find in a hotel, but a cosmonaut can order whatever they want. Nevertheless, the fliers try not to fill up their stomachs since adapting to weightlessness often includes enduring a bout of motion sickness.

After breakfast Baturin, Musabayev and Tito returned to their rooms where they had a traditional farewell ceremony that included a small drink of champagne and some private time with a limited number of friends and instructors who trained them for this mission.

In fact, only those people who undergo daily medical checkups and are considered absolutely healthy are allowed in close contact with the cosmonauts before a mission. This precaution is taken to prevent the cosmonauts from getting infected right before their mission.

Another tradition comes next -- the three men pose for pictures with their guests and then sign the doors of their rooms.

From there they step outside and board a bus for a trip to the "checkup" building where they don their spacesuits, participate in some additional rituals and then make the final trip out to the launch pad more than two hours before launch.