...
Vinogradov and Williams are to be joined by European Space
Agency astronaut Thomas Reiter of Germany when the space shuttle
Discovery visits the space station in July.Once Reiter arrives,
the station's long-duration crew will be three in number for the
first time since May 2003, following the Columbia disaster that
February.
"It's a new beginning for the space station," NASA official
Kirk Shireman said after watching the launch.
The American space program has depended on the Russians for
cargo and astronaut delivery to the space station since the
Columbia broke apart upon re-entry, killing all seven astronauts
aboard.
The shuttle Discovery visited the station in July but had
problems with the foam insulation on its external fuel tank.
Pontes trained in the United States and had been scheduled to
fly to the space station aboard a U.S.
space shuttle - plans that
were scrapped after the Columbia disaster.
Brazil and Russia then
opened talks that eventually led to Pontes' chance t...