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The Toshiba Vision screen in New York's Times Square will give the public a big-screen view of the next launch of three crew members to the International Space Station. Launch is scheduled for 11:14 p.m. EST Wednesday, Nov. 6.

NASA Television coverage, originating from the launch site at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, will broadcast on the giant outdoor screen beginning at 10:15 p.m. and continue with post-launch coverage until 11:45 p.m.

"The space station serves as a unique laboratory for researchers around the world, home to astronauts from multiple countries, and was built with international cooperation, so it's fitting to show the launch of the next crew in the most cosmopolitan city in the United States," said William Gerstenmaier, NASA's associate administrator for human exploration and operations.

NASA astronaut Rick Mastracchio, Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) Soyuz commander Mikhail Tyurin and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Koichi Wakata will launch in a Soyuz spacecraft. They will join six crew members already on the space station, including NASA astronauts Karen Nyberg and Mike Hopkins, the European Space Agency's Luca Parmitano, and Roscosmos' Fyodor Yurchikin, Oleg Kotov and Sergey Ryazanskiy.

This will be the first time since October 2009 that nine people have served together aboard the space station without a space shuttle being docked to the orbiting laboratory. The crew will return to its normal complement of six on Nov. 10, when Yurchikhin, Nyberg and Parmitano return to Earth.

Currently, the only transportation services to and from the space station is aboard Soyuz spacecraft. NASA is working with U.S. companies to develop and demonstrate human spaceflight systems that could ultimately lead to the availability of commercial services for both commercial and government customers from the United States.

Prominently positioned below the world-famous New Year's Eve Ball in Times Square, the Toshiba Vision dual LED screens will allow viewers to see the action from the launch pad as the Soyuz soars into the sky.

For NASA TV streaming video, schedule and downlink information, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

For more information about the International Space Station, visit:

Read the original:
Next Space Station Launch to Be Shown on Times Square Toshiba Vision Screen

GREENBELT, Md., Nov. 1 (UPI) -- Three International Space Station crewmembers took a Soyuz spacecraft for a spin Friday, changing parking spaces to make room for new crew arrivals, NASA said.

Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin and Flight Engineers Karen Nyberg and Luca Parmitano undocked the Soyuz TMA-09M spacecraft from the Rassvet module on the Earth-facing side of the station at 4:33 a.m. EDT, piloting it around to the rear of the station, the agency reported.

They then docked the Soyuz on the aft end of the Zvezda service module.

The move clears the way for the launch and arrival of a trio of new station crew members -- NASA astronaut Rick Mastracchio, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Koichi Wakata and Soyuz Commander Mikhail Tyurin of the Russian Federal Space Agency.

They are scheduled to dock their Soyuz TMA-11M spacecraft to the now-available Rassvet module Nov. 7, about 5 hours after their launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

Part of their cargo for the ISS will be the Olympic torch, which is making the longest leg of its relay leading up to the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia in February.

The torch will return to Earth Nov. 10, along with Yurchikhin, Nyberg and Parmitano at the end of their five-month tour of duty on the space station.

See the original post here:
Soyuz changes parking spots at space station, making way for new crew

November 1, 2013

Image Caption: The Soyuz TMA-09M under the command of Expedition 37 Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin backs away from the International Space Station's Rassvet module for a flyaround to the aft port of the Zvezda service module. Credit: NASA TV

[ Watch The Video: Russian Soyuz Vehicle Relocates at the International Space Station ]

NASA

Three International Space Station crew members took their Soyuz for a spin around the block Friday as they prepare for the extremely busy final week of Expedition 37.

Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin and Flight Engineers Karen Nyberg and Luca Parmitano undocked their Soyuz TMA-09M spacecraft from the Rassvet module on the Earth-facing side of the station at 4:33 a.m. EDT Friday. After backing the vehicle a safe distance away, Soyuz Commander Yurchikhin rotated the Soyuz and began the flyaround to the rear of the station. Carefully aligning the spacecraft with the docking port on the aft end of the Zvezda service module, which was vacated by the European Space Agencys fourth Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) on Monday, Yurchikhin guided the spacecraft in for its docking at 4:54 a.m.

Coincidentally, Yurchikhin was at the helm for the last Soyuz relocation at the station in June 2010 when he piloted the Expedition 24 crews Soyuz TMA-19 vehicle from Zvezda to the then newly installed Rassvet module.

Fridays Soyuz move sets the stage for the launch and arrival of a trio of new station crew members NASA astronaut Rick Mastracchio, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Koichi Wakata and Soyuz Commander Mikhail Tyurin of the Russian Federal Space Agency who will dock their Soyuz TMA-11M spacecraft to Rassvet on Nov. 7 about six hours after their launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

View NASA Television coverage schedule http://www.nasa.gov/press/2013/october/three-space-station-crews-get-ready-for-relocation-launch-landing/

The arrival of Mastracchio, Wakata and Tyurin will mark the first time since October 2009 that nine people have served together aboard the station without the presence of a space shuttle.

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Soyuz Move Prepares For Arrival Of New Crew To The International Space Station