SPACE.com -- Soyuz-TMA Spacecraft Successfully Docks with Station

The first Soyuz-TMA spacecraft launched into orbit approaches to dock with the International Space Station on Nov. 1, 2002.

A fresh Soyuz lifeboat is about to dock with the space station in this image from NASA TV on Nov. 1, 2002.

Soyuz Rocket Safely Sends Taxi Mission to Station into Earth Orbit

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	Soyuz-TMA Spacecraft Successfully Docks with Station By Jim Banke Senior Producer, Cape Canaveral Bureau posted: 02:00 am ET 01 November 2002

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- A fresh emergency lifeboat was safely delivered Friday to the International Space Station (ISS) to replace the Soyuz escape craft that has been attached to the outpost since April.

The new Soyuz-TMA spacecraft -- an improved version of the spacecraft used for decades by Russia -- docked with the station's Pirs module at 12:01 a.m. EST (0501 GMT) as the multinational complex orbited Earth and was some 240 miles (386 kilometers) above central Russia.

"We have arrived," said Soyuz commander Sergei Zalyotin.

"Sergei, congratulations on your arrival," was the reply from Mission Control near Moscow.

A three-person Soyuz spacecraft must remain docked to the ISS at all times so the long-duration Expedition crews have a way to get home. The Soyuz, however, are certified to remain in space for about 200 days before they must be replaced.

As a result, the old vehicle must be swapped every six months for a new one.

In addition to Zalyotin, this Soyuz spaceship held flight engineer Yuri Lonchakov and Belgian Frank DeWinne, who is a European Space Agency astronaut that has been training for this flight for two years.

The trio began their journey Tuesday with a flawless launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

Two days of orbital maneuvering was followed by a trouble free rendezvous and docking -- an operation that was automatically flown by computers on board the Soyuz-TMA and carried live on NASA TV.

"A perfect docking this morning," confirmed NASA mission commentator Rob Navias.

The Expedition Five crew of Valery Korzun, Peggy Whitson and Sergei Treschev then welcomed aboard their three new visitors to the ISS after post-docking checks proved the hatches were safely locked together and no air was leaking.

The happy event was officially marked at 1:26 a.m. EST (0626 GMT) as the multinational complex flew some 230 miles above the planet.

The three taxi crew members will spend the next eight days aboard the outpost preparing the older Soyuz-TM spacecraft for its return to Earth, unloading some equipment and supplies from the Soyuz-TMA and conducting a number of science experiments.

On Nov. 9, the three men will board the older Soyuz-TM spacecraft and return it to Earth.

This was to have been the mission that included 'NSYNC pop singer Lance Bass, but the estimated $20 million fare couldn't be paid to the Russians in time. Bass is reportedly considering another run at flying in the future.