Posts Tagged private explorers

Soyuz Landing

Posted by Danielle in News & Happenings, Picspam on October 13, 2009

Expedition 20 Landing - October 11, 2009

NASA’s capsules landed in the ocean (we have a lot of ocean to choose from in these here United States); the Soviets land in open fields. (The flame seen in the photo is a thruster firing. The capsule is not actually on fire.)

The Soyuz TMA-14 spacecraft is seen as it lands with Expedition 20 Commander Gennady Padalka, Flight Engineer Michael Barratt, and spaceflight participant Guy Laliberté near the town of Arkalyk, Kazakhstan on Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009. Padalka and Barratt are returning from six months onboard the International Space Station, along with Laliberté who arrived at the station on Oct. 2 with Expedition 21 Flight Engineers Jeff Williams and Maxim Suraev aboard the Soyuz TMA-16 spacecraft. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

iss, private explorers, soviet, soyuz

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Saturday Special

Posted by Danielle in Perspectives on March 28, 2009

I just had to post, weekend or no — the above is the Expedition 19 hatch opening at the International Space Station, filmed earlier today. What I kept noticing is how thrilled to pieces Charles Simonyi looks; truly, like a kid in a candy shop. He is just SO happy to be back! I think that’s how I’d be, if I were up there; looking around the whole time and grinning ear to ear.

iss, nasa, private explorers, soyuz

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Crescent Moon Over Kazakhstan

Posted by Danielle in Perspectives on March 25, 2009

This photo shows the launch pad at Baikonur Cosmodrome awaiting a Soyuz rocket launching tomorrow for the International Space Station. Of note on this crew swap is Charles Simonyi, the fifth private explorer to visit the ISS (in spring 2007), who revisits the station for a twelve-day stay. He will return to Earth with swapped crew members (also in a Soyuz capsule, which is being swapped out for the one he arrives in.) Looks like he’ll just miss the crew of STS-119, which undocks from the ISS later today.

Godspeed, Charles!

astronauts, iss, private explorers, soyuz

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