Expedition 8 Soyuz TMA-3 launch from Baikonur Cosmodrome

JSC2003-E-59221 (18 October 2003) --- The Soyuz TMA-3 vehicle launches from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan October 18, 2003, carrying astronaut C. Michael Foale, Expedition 8 commander and NASA ISS science officer; cosmonaut Alexander Kaleri, Soyuz commander and flight engineer, representing Rosaviakosmos; and European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Pedro Duque of Spain to the International Space Station (ISS). The trio will arrive at the ISS October 20, as Foale and Kaleri take over command of Station operations for the next 6 1/2 months. Duque will return to Earth October 28 with cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko, Expedition 7 commander, representing Rosaviakosmos, and astronaut Ed Lu, NASA ISS science officer, in another Soyuz capsule already docked to the ISS. Photo Credit: "NASA/Bill Ingalls"