The French astronaut Thomas Pesquet, the American Peggy Whitson and Russian Oleg Novitsky are finally entered in the international space station (ISS) in the night of Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 November 2016, confirmed Nasa. They have spent over 48 hours in the Soyuz capsule, which took off Thursday, November 17, 2016, from the Baikonur cosmodrome (Kazakhstan).
> ALSO READ : VIDEO. Successful take-off for Thomas Pesquet, the astronaut of Normandy
We look at you, and we could not be more proud, ” said Charles Bolden, Nasa administrator, addresses the crew of the ISS, now six in number with the arrival of the three astronauts.
After nearly three hours of waiting, they are entered
Docked Saturday at 21h58 GMT with the ISS, the three new residents of the international space station have had to wait two hours and forty-two minutes exactly, until 00h40 GMT on Sunday, before being able to enter their future home for the next six months, and embrace their new roommates. The time to ensure the perfect seal between Soyuz and the ISS. After about three hours of waiting, in the 2.5 m long with the tiny Soyuz, the three new passengers to the ISS were greeted by their predecessors arrived on the 19th of October, the American Shane Kimbrough and the Russian Sergei Ryjikov, and Andrei Borissenko. The first to enter the ISS has been Novitsky, followed by Pesquet and finally, Whitson.
capsules Soyuz, the only means to transport astronauts
After the separation of the capsule MS-03 of the third floor of the legendary spacecraft to be placed in orbit 200 km above the Earth, nearly nine minutes after take-off, Thursday, the crew has remained more than 48 hours in this tiny module. For the mooring, on Saturday, November 19 in the evening, it is at the same altitude as the ISS, which rotates at 28 000 km/h to 400 km above the earth. The capsules Soyuz are now the only ones able to deliver astronauts to the ISS, since the closure of the program of american space shuttles in 2011.
Thomas Pesquet will 62 experiments for ESA
For six months, the French Thomas Pesquet will perform at its edge no less than 62 experiments for the european space Agency (ESA) and Centre national d’études spatiales (Cnes, France). And 55 in cooperation with the space agencies, american, canadian and japanese.
The French will study the impact of weightlessness on the muscles, an analysis of the results of which could help treat duchenne muscular dystrophy. He will also technologies that could revolutionise the water purification materials or self-cleaning usable in the long term in hospitals.
experiments on light and sleep cycle
The American Peggy Whitson will conduct her experiments on the impact of light on the sleep cycle, while Oleg Novitsky will be more than 50 scientific experiments for the account of the Russian space agency Roskosmos. The commander of Soyuz Oleg Novitsky, has a large experience of space. At the age of 45, this former pilot of the air force of the Russian, who comes to be a father, has spent five months on the ISS in 2012 and 2013.
Peggy Whitson, the first woman to have commanded the ISS twice
In 56 years, Peggy Whitson has been 376 days in space and has six extravehicular activities. This biochemist has already had two stints on the ISS to his credit. Its first flight dates back to 2002, when the space Station was still being assembled. On 24 April, it is expected to exceed the record for days in space for american astronaut, currently held by Jeff Williams, with 534 days. In February, she became the first woman to have commanded the ISS twice.
Thomas Pesquet, the ” little young “
in the Face of his teammates, Thomas Pesquet, a former pilot line 38-year-old saxophonist in his prime, tenth French to be party to the space and first since 2008, is a ” little young “. The transport of each astronaut will cost $ 71 million in the Soyuz, which can only carry three at a time.The ISS has been inhabited continuously for more than fifteen years.
AFP
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