Launch News Soyuz TMA-20 atop Soyuz-FG on December 15/16, 2010

[SiberianTiger]

Soyuz TMA-20 will deliver crewmember of Expedition 26 to International Space Station for a 1/2 year stay.
It had made headlines last October, when it was mishandled during transportation by railway which called for disassembling the spaceship at Baikonur and replacement of the Descent Module. It is now fully checked and approved to fly a standard crew delivery mission.

Launch location:

Baikonur Launch pad no. 1/5 45°55'12.85"N, 63°20'32.27"E

Launch dates and times:

{colsp=6}Launch times

Time Zone |

Australia - Sydney/AEST ​

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Baikonur / UTC+6 ​

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Moscow / MSK/ ​

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Universal / UTC ​

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Washington / EST ​

Launch time (Primary): ​

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5:09:25 a.m.​

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01:09:25​

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22:09:25​

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19:09:25​

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2:09:25 p.m.​

on (Primary): ​

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Dec. 16, 2010​

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Dec. 16, 2010​

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Dec. 15, 2010​

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Dec. 15, 2010​

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Dec. 15, 2010​

Launch time (Backup): ​

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4:21:11 a.m.​

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00:21:11​

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21:21:11​

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18:21:11​

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1:21:11 p.m.​

on (Backup): ​

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Dec. 18, 2010​

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Dec. 18, 2010​

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Dec. 17, 2010​

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Dec. 17, 2010​

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Dec. 17, 2010​

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[highlight][eventTimer]2010-12-15 19:09:25?before|after;%dd% Days %hh% Hours %mm% Minutes %ss% Seconds %c%[/eventTimer] the Soyuz TMA-20 launch[/highlight]​

{colsp=6}Docking time

Time Zone |

Australia - Sydney/AEST ​

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Moscow / MSK/ ​

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Universal / UTC ​

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Washington / EST ​

Docking time: ​

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6:12 a.m.​

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23:12​

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20:12​

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3:12 p.m.​

on: ​

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Dec. 18, 2010​

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Dec. 17, 2010​

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Dec. 17, 2010​

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Dec. 17, 2010​

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[highlight][eventTimer]2010-12-17 20:12?before|after;%dd% Days %hh% Hours %mm% Minutes %ss% Seconds %c%[/eventTimer] the Soyuz TMA-20 docking[/highlight]​

Live Coverage Of The Launch:

• NASA TV - Windows Media: http://www.nasa.gov/55644main_NASATV_Windows.asx
• NASA TV - Real Player: http://www.nasa.gov/ram/35037main_portal.ram
• NASA TV - QuickTime: http://www.nasa.gov/qtl/151335main_NASA_TV_QT.qtl
• NASA TV - Yahoo list: http://playlist.yahoo.com/makeplaylist.dll?id=1368163
• ESA TV - stream URL pending (see http://television.esa.int/default.cfm for info)
• TSENKI Video Streams: http://www.tv-tsenki.com/livechoose.php
• Vesti - High Quality: http://www.vesti.ru/video1.asx?vid=onair
• Vesti - Low Quality: http://www.vesti.ru/video1.asx?vid=onair_low

(message cut here due to picture limit per posting)

 

[SiberianTiger]

Primary Crew:

Commander's callsign: Варяг (Varyag, meaning Viking)

Commander Dmitry Yurievich KONDRATYEV |Flight Engineer Catherine COLEMAN |Flight Engineer Paolo NESPOLI

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Colonel of RF Air Force, GCTC Cosmonaut, Russia (12th draft)| NASA Astronaut, Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, USA | ESA Astronaut, Italy
Born on May 25, 1969, Irkutsk, USSR|Born on December 14, 1960, in Charleston, South Carolina, USA|Born on April 6, 1957 in Milan, Italy
No space flight experience|2 space missions|1 space mission
-|

Columbia STS-73|

Columbia STS-93|

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Discovery STS-120|

-|20 days 20 h 43 m 34 s in space|15 days 02 h 23 m 55 s in space
No EVA experience|No EVA experience|No EVA experience
-|-|-
read bio | read bio | read bio

Backup Crew:

Commander's callsign: dunno, I will find out and post here

Commander Anatoli Alekseievich IVANISHIN |Flight Engineer Satoshi FURUKAWA |Flight Engineer Michael FOSSUM

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Lieutenant-Colonel of RF Air Force, CTC Cosmonaut, Russia (13th draft)| JAXA Astronaut, Japan | U.S. Air Force Reserve Lieutenant-Colonel, NASA Astronaut, Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, USA
Born on January 15, 1969, Irkutsk, USSR|Born on April 4, 1964 in Jokohama, Kanagawa, Japan|Born on December 19, 1957 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, USA
No space flight experience|No space flight experience|2 space missions
-|-|

Discovery STS-121|

Discovery STS-124|

-|-|29 days 09 h 53 m 16 s in space
No EVA experience|No EVA experience|6 EVAs
-|-|42 h 01 m on EVA
read bio | read bio | read bio

Information is to be updated.

Source References
http://astro.zeto.czest.pl
http://astronaut.ru
http://www.energia.ru
http://www.federalspace.ru
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com
http://www.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru
http://www.mcc.rsa.ru
http://www.tvroscosmos.ru
http://www.nasa.gov
http://www.spacelaunchreport.com
http://www.intellicast.com/Local/Forecast.aspx
http://www.good-stuff.co.uk/suntimes/sunmap.php

 

[orb]

There's calendar event created for this launch. You can request a reminder, which will be sent via e-mail on a set time before the event.

 

[SiberianTiger]

Launch history in pictures and videos

Soyuz TMA-20, works in assembly operations

::30.11.2010
Dmitry Kondratiev work out at karate joint class. His coach: "Dmitry is a very strong man, both physically and mentally. And he is very devoted. He is a proper representative of our country in space, displaying strength and justice."

Dmitry and his older son Vladislav, 5:

Traditional Tea Party in Roscosmos: Anatoly Perminov, Head of the Agency, Meets the Soyuz TMA-20 Crews to fly to Baikonur in a Couple of Days
:: 01.12.2010

Traditional tea party of Roscosmos Head Anatoly Perminov and Soyuz TMA-20 / ISS-26/27 prime and backup crews - Dmitry Kondratiev, Katrin Colleman, Paolo Nespoli, and Anatoly Ivanishin, Satoshi Furukawa, Michael Fossum - took place in Roscosmos today.
The ceremony was attended by Vitaly Davyidov, Roscosmos Stats Secretary and Deputy Head, Alexey Krasnov, Head of Roscosmos Human Spaceflight Directorate, GCTC management, NASA, ESA, JAXA representatives, news media.

02.12.2010
NASA TV Video: Expedition 26 Meets the Media and Pays Homage at Red Square.

(3 Dec. 2010) --- At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, veteran Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kotov (far right) raises a glass to toast NASA astronaut Catherine (Cady) Coleman, Expedition 26 flight engineer, at a breakfast Dec. 3, 2010 prior to her departure for the launch site at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan with her crewmates. From left to right are prime crew members Coleman, Soyuz commander Dmitry Kondratyev, and European Space Agency astronaut Paolo Nespoli, along with backup crew members Mike Fossum of NASA, Russian cosmonaut Anatoly Ivanishin and Satoshi Furukawa of JAXA. Coleman, Kondratyev and Nespoli are scheduled to launch Dec. 16 (Kazakhstan time) on the Soyuz TMA-20 spacecraft for the International Space Station. Photo credit: NASA/Stephanie Stoll

03.12.2010
NASA TV Video: Expedition 26 Crew Departs for Kazakh Launch Site.

First Training of the Soyuz TMA-20 Crews at Baikonur (photos)
:: 04.12.2010

 

[SiberianTiger]

Report by Dmitry Kondratiev: First Fit Check on Soyuz TMA-20
:: 05.12.2010

On Dec. 4, the crews of Soyuz TMA-20 performed their first fit check on the vehicle. According to the Soyuz commander Dmitry Kondratiev, all systems of the vehicle operate nominally, so there was no remark from the crew.

"It was a rather hard day. The fit check consisted of two parts. First, we got familiar with the vehicle, cargo accommodation, system statuses. Then, we put on the space suits in order to perform seat raising. This operation helps damping the load during landing. All the systems have shown nominal status. We also had a training with satellite navigation equipment used after landing”, Dmitry told Roscosmos PAO.

Dmitry Kondratiev: "Several Days Prior to the Launch, Soyuz TMA-20 Emblem Appeared on the Wall of the Cosmonaut Hotel"
:: 07.12.2010

Russian cosmonaut Dmitry Kondratiev continues informing about his crew’s prelaunch training at Baikonur.
According to the Russian cosmonaut, on Dec.6 the crew had their training sessions at site 17.
"This included ISS safety sim, manual docking sequence when we had to relocate the vehicle from MRM-1 to MRM-2”, Dmitry wrote in his blog in Roscosmos web, adding that the instructors had been happy with the crew’s skills maintained on the proper level.

According to Dmitry, the crew also continued medical exercises on the orthostatic table and special rotating chair; the training is aimed at improving vestibular stability.
Kondratiev also explained that due to prelaunch medical restrictions, the crew shall not contact outsiders. “The crew surgeon is always with us”, Dmitry wrote.
Despite of the tough schedule, the crew had a short walk along site 17.

"Several days prior to the launch, Soyuz TMA-20 emblem appeared on the wall of the Cosmonaut Hotel", Dmitry noted.
The Soyuz TMA-20 crew patch is based on the child’s drawing by Marina Korolenko, who won in Roscosmos contest and received a wonderful prize- a trip to Baikonur.
To remind, Soyuz TMA-20 is slated for launch on Dec. 15.

ESA: "Ask Astronaut Paolo"!

Ask ESA astronaut Paolo Nespoli a question during his mission aboard the International Space Station. Post your video question here on ESA YouTube, and Paolo will answer the best ones directly from Space!

Soyuz TMA-20 Launch Campaign in Progress
:: 08.12.2010

Prelaunch operations with Soyuz TMA-20 crew vehicle under the International Space Station program continue at Baikonur.
Soyuz TMA-20 has been mated with the adapter.
Soyuz-FG rocket is planned for lift off with Soyuz TMA-20 and three crew on Dec. 15.

Soyuz TMA-20 Prelaunch Processing Goes On at Baikonur
:: 09.12.2010

Baikonur: launch campaign of the Soyuz TMA-20 crew vehicle under the International Space Station program continues at the space port.

Today, the designers inspected Soyuz TMA-20.

Payload shroud roll on to the Soyuz TMA-20 spacecraft was performed.

(see contunied below...)

 

[SiberianTiger]

Soyuz TMA-20 Prime Crew Takes Rest Today – Dmitry Kondratiev
:: 09.12.2010

After a couple of days of intensive training, Soyuz TMA-20 prime crew takes rest today at Baikonur, the Soyuz commander Dmitry Kondratiev informed in his blog.
Despite of it, the crew continues with vestibular training, prophylactics massage and sport exercises. In the evening, the launch team will watch a movie all together.
Dmitry adds that the prime crew walked along site 17 today, and the backup crew had their traditional tour in the Baikonur city: visited the museum and laid flowers to Korolev’s and Gagarin’s monuments.

«There are some other traditions we are going to maintain. We will plant the trees in the Cosmonaut Alley of site 17 and put our signatures on the door in the Cosmonaut Hotel where the crews stay at Baikonur prior to launch. Both the alley and the crew are waiting for their turn, so far», Kondratiev noted.

NASA TV Video: Soyuz Crew Readies for Launch to ISS.

Media Day at Baikonur
::10:12:2010

 

[SiberianTiger]

Okay, dear O-F members, now I have to board a train and leave you all alone with this launch thread. I won't be here to post further updates. I wish you happy watching and smooth launch and docking to the crew!

Sincerely yours,
SiberianTiger :hello:

 

[orb]

Rollout of Soyuz-FG with Soyuz TMA-20 to the launch pad

Video of the rollout:

Rollout of Soyuz-FG with Soyuz TMA-20

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Rollout in pictures:

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Click on thumbnails to view larger images​

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[Orbinaut Pete]

Spaceflight Now: "Space station crew's ride rolls to launch pad".

Here's some hi-res photos of the rollout from NASA HQ Photo.

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

NASA TV Video: Soyuz Rolls Out to Pad for Wednesday Launch.​

 

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ESA: All set for Paolo Nespoli launch tomorrow.

Spaceflight Now: Crew from three nations counting down to launch.

CBS News Space: Soyuz set to ferry three crew members to space station.

RIA Novosti: New ISS crew ready for Wednesday launch - commission.

 

[MajorTom]

Wonderful info and photos in this thread. Thanks all!

 

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Mission Timeline:

UTC​

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MET​

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EST​

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EVENT

  HH:MM:SS  ​

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 DD ​

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 HH ​

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MM ​

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 SS  ​

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HH:MM:SS​

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Description​

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2010-12-15​

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12/15/10​

13:09:00|00|06|00|00|08:09:00 AM |Batteries installed in booster

13:39:00|00|05|30|00|08:39:00 AM|State commission 'go'

13:54:00|00|05|15|00|08:54:00 AM|Crew arrives at site 254

14:09:00|00|05|00|00|09:09:00 AM|Tanking begins

14:49:00|00|04|20|00|09:49:00 AM|Spacesuit donning

15:09:00|00|04|00|00|10:09:00 AM|Booster is loaded with liquid oxygen

15:29:00|00|03|40|00|10:29:00 AM|Crew meets delegations

15:59:00|00|03|10|00|10:59:00 AM|Reports to the state commission

16:04:00|00|03|05|00|11:04:00 AM|Transfer to launch pad

16:09:00|00|03|00|00|11:09:00 AM|1st/2nd stage oxygen fueling complete

16:34:00|00|02|35|00|11:34:00 AM|Crew arrives at launch vehicle

16:39:00|00|02|30|00|11:39:00 AM|Crew ingress

17:09:00|00|02|00|00|12:09:00 PM|Crew in re-entry vehicle

17:24:00|00|01|45|00|12:24:00 PM|Re-entry vehicle hardware tested; suits are ventilated

17:39:00|00|01|30|00|12:39:00 PM|Hatch sealed and tested

18:09:00|00|01|00|00|01:09:00 PM|Launch vehicle control system preps; gyro activation

18:24:00|00|00|45|00|01:24:00 PM|Launch pad service structure halves lowered

18:29:00|00|00|40|00|01:29:00 PM|Suit leak checks; re-entry vehicle tests complete

18:39:00|00|00|30|00|01:39:00 PM|Emergency escape system armed

18:44:00|00|00|25|00|01:44:00 PM|Service towers retracted

18:54:00|00|00|15|00|01:54:00 PM|Suit leak checks done; escape system to auto

18:59:00|00|00|10|00|01:59:00 PM|Gyros uncaged; on-board recorders activated

19:02:00|00|00|07|00|02:02:00 PM|Prelaunch operations complete

19:03:00|00|00|06|15|02:03:00 PM|Final launch countdown operations to auto

19:03:00|00|00|06|00|02:03:00 PM|Launch complex and vehicle systems ready

19:04:00|00|00|05|00|02:04:00 PM|CDR's controls activated; helmets closed launch key inserted

19:06:10|00|00|03|15|02:06:10 PM|Combustion chamber nitrogen purge

19:06:55|00|00|02|30|02:06:55 PM|Booster propellant tank pressurization begins

19:07:10|00|00|02|15|02:07:10 PM|Ground propellant feed terminated

19:08:25|00|00|01|00|02:08:25 PM|Vehicle to internal; 1st umbilical tower sep; auto sequence start

19:08:45|00|00|00|40|02:08:45 PM|Ground power umbilical to 3rd stage separates

19:09:05|00|00|00|20|02:09:05 PM|Launch command given; central/side pod engines on

19:09:10|00|00|00|15|02:09:10 PM|Second umbilical tower separates

19:09:15|00|00|00|10|02:09:15 PM|Engine turbopumps at flight speed

19:09:20|00|00|00|05|02:09:20 PM|Engines at maximum thrust

19:09:25|00|00|00|00|02:09:25 PM|

LAUNCH​

19:18:10|00|00|08|45|02:18:10 PM|Orbital insertion

22:57:02|00|03|47|37|05:57:02 PM|DV1 (11.9 mph)

23:36:50|00|04|27|25|06:36:50 PM|DV2 (31.6 mph)

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2010-12-16​

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12/16/10​

19:48:32|01|00|39|07|02:48:32 PM|DV3 (4.5 mph)

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2010-12-17​

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12/17/10​

16:45:00|01|21|35|35|11:45:00 AM|U.S. to Russian attitude control handover

17:05:00|01|21|55|35|12:05:00 PM|ISS maneuvers to dock attitude

17:49:05|01|22|39|40|12:49:05 PM|AR&D automated rendezvous start

18:09:23|01|22|59|58|01:09:23 PM|AR&D DV4/Impulse 1 (56.3 mph)

18:28:37|01|23|19|12|01:28:37 PM|AR&D Impulse 2 (3.2 mph)

18:35:00|01|23|25|35|01:35:00 PM|Soyuz Kurs-A activation

18:37:00|01|23|27|35|01:37:00 PM|SM Kurs-P activation

18:47:38|01|23|38|13|01:47:38 PM|Daily Orbit 1 Russian ground station AOS

18:55:49|01|23|46|24|01:55:49 PM|AR&D DV5/Impulse 3 (54.3 mph)

18:58:05|01|23|48|40|01:58:05 PM|Range = 62 miles: Soyuz VHF-2 voice link

19:02:25|01|23|53|00|02:02:25 PM|Range = 49.7 miles: valid Kurs-P range data

19:09:51|02|00|00|26|02:09:51 PM|Daily Orbit 1 Russian ground station LOS

19:10:49|02|00|01|24|02:10:49 PM|Sunrise

19:22:45|02|00|13|20|02:22:45 PM|Range = 9.3 miles: Kurs-A & Kurs-P short test

19:29:05|02|00|19|40|02:29:05 PM|Range = 5 miles: Soyuz TV activation

19:35:33|02|00|26|08|02:35:33 PM|AR&D Impulse 4 (15.1 mph)

19:39:05|02|00|29|40|02:39:05 PM|AR&D Ballistic Targeting Point

19:41:28|02|00|32|03|02:41:28 PM|AR&D Impulse 5 (8.3 mph)

19:43:13|02|00|33|48|02:43:13 PM|AR&D Impulse 6 (4.1 mph)

19:45:30|02|00|36|05|02:45:30 PM|AR&D Flyaround mode start

19:51:15|02|00|41|50|02:51:15 PM|AR&D Stationkeeping start

19:59:00|02|00|49|35|02:59:00 PM|ISS inertial snap-and-hold window open

20:03:00|02|00|53|35|03:03:00 PM|AR&D final approach start

20:07:24|02|00|57|59|03:07:24 PM|Sunset

20:12:00|02|01|02|35|03:12:00 PM|

DOCKING​

20:13:00|02|01|03|35|03:13:00 PM|ISS inertial snap-and-hold window close

20:20:08|02|01|10|43|03:20:08 PM|Daily Orbit 2 Russian ground station AOS

20:32:00|02|01|22|35|03:32:00 PM|Soyuz hooks closed: ISS maneuvers to LVLH

20:42:22|02|01|32|57|03:42:22 PM|Sunrise

20:43:23|02|01|33|58|03:43:23 PM|Daily Orbit 2 Russian ground station LOS

21:30:00|02|02|20|35|04:30:00 PM|Russian to US attitude control handover

 

[orb]

Spaceflight Now: TMA-20 / ISS Expedition 26 - Mission Status Center.

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

Here's my NASASpaceFlight article about the launch:

LIVE: Soyuz TMA-20 set to launch to begin busy period on ISS.

----------------------------------------​

And Just to point this out, NASA PAO has released this very rare hi-res image of TMA-20. :thumbup:

Hi-res version.

As I said, very rare to get a hi-res image like this.

 

[orb]

The launch of Soyuz-FG rocket was successful. Soyuz TMA-20 separated at 19:18 UTC / 2:18 p.m. EST. Orbit insertion was successful. Deployment of solar panels and antennas was successful.

There is calendar event for docking of Soyuz TMA-20 to ISS. You can request a reminder for that event, which will be sent via e-mail.

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

CNN: "Astronaut Cady Coleman's blog post before launching into space Wednesday".

BBC News: "Irish airs sent from outer space".

 

[Donamy]

Does she know any Tull ?

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

NASA TV Video: Coleman, Crew Members Fly to ISS.​

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

Some hi-res photos of the TMA-20 launch are available here.