Major Tim Peake (UK astronaut) is set to extend his stay aboard the International Space Station by 173 days to June 5, 2016, ESA, or European Space Agency. Along with Yuri Malenchenko, a Russian cosmonaut and NASA astronaut Tim Kopra, he will launch from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Peake’s sixth-longest European Space Agency mission. Yesterday, the three astronauts reached Baikonur Cosmodrome. They will visit the Soyuz TMA M satellite, which is operated by Roscosmos (Russian Federal Space Agency), and they’ll be taken into orbit. Timothy Peake, Yuri Malenchenko and Timothy Kopra pose at the Gagarin Cosmonaut training center in Star City (Russia). (Image: blogs.nasa.gov. Credit: NASA/Seth Marcantel. There is still much to be done before the launch. Before launch, spacemen must undergo physical and medical checks, as well as prepare experiments and review plans for their six hour journey to the International Space Station. They will be avoiding any contact with others from now to December th to prevent them becoming ill and passing on infections or bugs to colleagues aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Principia, named after Sir Isaac Newton’s book outlining gravity and motion laws, will see Major Peake carry out several experiments. His experiments include the creation of blood vessels cells and rocket leaves as well as protein crystals under microgravity. He also will perform tests that reveal more about metal properties. Education will be a key focus of the mission. NASA says that advanced space science continues today with crew exploring blood circulation and radiation. The crew hopes to make use of the many experiments carried out on the station for future astronauts as well as Earthlings. A British television program for children held a contest to design the logo of mission (Principia). Image: principia.org.uk NASA stated on their website that the crew was packing the Soyuz TMA M spacecraft prior to its undocking Dec. HTML1. “The Soyuz will return Expedition Crew members Lindgren and Soyuz Commander OlegKononenko, as well as Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yoi. This NASA Johnson video features the Expedition 46-47 crew at traditional ceremonies held at Gagarin Cosmonaut training Center in Star City (Russia) on November 30th. They then headed for the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan.
