Expedition 8 Launch Day

Expedition 8 Commander and NASA Science Officer Michael Foale receives the traditional prelaunch blessing from a Russian Orthodox priest in the Cosmonaut Hotel crew quarters, Saturday, Oct. 18, 2003, in Baikonur, Kazakhstan before he, Expedition 8 Commander Alexander Kaleri and European Space Agency astronaut Pedro Duque of Spain departed for the launch pad. The trio were launched a few hours later on the Soyuz TMA-3 vehicle, arriving at the International Space Station on Oct. 20. Photo Credit (NASA/Bill Ingalls)