Category Archives: Docking

New Expedition 31 crewmembers set for arrival at ISS

Three new Expedition 31 crewmembers are set for arrival at the International Space Station early on Thursday morning. Gennady Padalka, Joe Acaba and Sergei Revin launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome on Tuesday morning and have since been closing in on the ISS with their Soyuz TMA-04 spacecraft.

You can track the Soyuz TMA-04 as it approaches the ISS using http://www.n2yo.com.

The resident ISS crew, André Kuipers, Don Pettit and Oleg Kononenko, has had a shorter workday today in preparation for an early start tomorrow morning when they will welcome the new arrivals on board.

Docking is scheduled for 06:39 CEST (04:39 UT). Watch the docking live on NASA TV from 06:00 CEST (04:00 UT). Ingress of the new crewmembers occurs some 90 minutes later and will also be shown live on NASA TV from 09:45 CEST (07:45 UT).



Live video by Ustream

Unmanned Russian Progress docks with ISS

Anton and Oleg monitor the approach of Progress 47P (Credit: ESA/NASA)

Anton and Oleg monitor the approach of Progress 47P (Credit: ESA/NASA)

The unmanned Russian Progress 47P spacecraft docked with the International Space Station at 16:39 CEST (14:39 UT) yesterday afternoon. Launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome on Thursday 19 April, the Progress delivers supplies such as food, clothes, water and fuel to the ISS crew.

The docking was monitored from the Russian Zvezda module by Expedition 30 crewmembers Anton Shkaplerov and Oleg Kononenko. ESA astronaut André Kuipers sent a photo (right) showing his crewmates monitoring the spacecraft during its approach - the Progress can be seen through the window towards the bottom of the image.

A replay of the docking via NASA TV:

embedded by Embedded Video

ATV-3 launch & docking video highlight

Excellent, 2-min overview of roll-out, lift-off, rendezvous and docking. Great, quick video update and we love the ATV's flashing navigation lights at the 1:57 point. Enjoy! (If video won't start in window below, just refresh this page in your browser...)

Europe’s third cargo vehicle docks with the Space Station

ATV-3 docking Credit: ESA/NASA

ATV-3 docking Credit: ESA/NASA

ESA’s ATV Edoardo Amaldi has completed the first stage of its docking with the Russian Zvezda module of the International Space Station.

The docking occurred smoothly when ATV's docking probe was captured by Zvezda's docking cone at 00:31 CEST ( 22:31 GMT).

Via ESA web

The ATV-3 music video: Back at the ISS

Ariane performed flawlessly, ATV Amaldi is safely in orbit and we've got a mission. Next stop? The ISS!

To celebrate the upcoming docking, Love & Mersey, one of Europe's top Beatles tribute bands, have produced a rocking music video: Back at the ISS.

The song is a 'greeting to space' -- to ESA astronaut André Kuipers and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko; the two will work side-by-side on the ISS overseeing the critical docking of ATV-3. Appropriately, it's performed in English, Russian and Dutch -- three languages that André speaks.

Thanks to Jan, Marcel and the entire band for a fabulous video greeting to space -- and best wishes to André, Oleg and everyone on board for the arrival of ATV!!

(Turn on captions to view English lyrics)

Watch the world premiere of Back at the ISS right here in the ATV blog, or access the HD version in ESA's YouTube channel.

Want to hear more music that André listens to in space? Access his playlist here.

CREDITS:

Music: J. Hovers; performed by Love & Mersey
Lyrics: (English & Dutch) J. Hovers ‐ (Russian) A. van der Linden‐Krasnopeeva
Camera: M. van der Linden & J. Hovers
Video editing: M. & A. van der Linden

PERMISSION: Back at the ISS may be freely reused for non‐commercial purposes but may not be altered in any way. All usage must include the following credit/copyright citation: All music and lyrics Copyright (C) 2012 Love & Mersey. Original video credit ESA, used with permission.