posted 06-15-2019 01:25 PM               

Space Cover #519: Soyuz TMA-2 launch to the ISS

The space cover of the week commemorates the launch of Soyuz TMA-2 to the International Space Station on April 26, 2003 with crew of Commander Yuri Malenchenko and Flight Engineer Ed Lu.

After the Shuttle Columbia accident, the space station expedition crews were reduced to two member caretaker crews until the shuttle resumed flying to reduce logistics and resources use on the space station. The Expedition 7 crew flew aboard the ISS for 184 days before returning to earth on October 28, 2003.