ISS Expedition Eight crew biographies

The Expedition Eight crew has been on board ISS since 20 October 2003 when they arrived with the Soyuz TMA-3 together with Spanish ESA astronaut Pedro Duque. Expedition Nine, comprising Commander Gennadi Padalka and Flight Engineer Mike Fincke, who will arrive with the Soyuz TMA-4, will replace the Expedition Eight crew.

On 29 April 2004, after a six-month stay on board ISS, the Expedition Eight crew will return to Earth in the Soyuz TMA-3 together with ESA astronaut André Kuipers.

C. Michael Foale

NASA astronaut

Michael Foale was born 6 January 1957 in Louth, England. He is married with two children.

Foale graduated from Queens' College, Cambridge, with a first class Bachelor of Arts degree in Physics, Natural Sciences Tripos in 1978. He went on to complete his doctorate in Laboratory Astrophysics at Cambridge University in 1982.

He held several posts at NASA's Johnson Space Center before being selected as a NASA astronaut candidate in June 1987.

Foale is a veteran of five previous spaceflights, including a 145-day mission to the Russian Mir space station in 1997. During his previous missions Foale has been on three spacewalks (EVAs).

Michael Foale is currently Commander of ISS Expedition Eight.

Alexander Yurievich Kaleri

Soyuz-TMA Commander, Instructor/Test cosmonaut, S.P. Korolev RSC Energia, Russia.

Born 13 May 1956 in Yurmala, Latvia. Married with one son.

In 1979, Kaleri graduated from Moscow's Physics and Technology Institute (MFTI) as a specialist in Aircraft Flight Dynamics and Control. He continued at MFTI and in 1983 gained a postgraduate qualification in Mechanics of Fluids and Plasma.

In 1984 he was enlisted in the NPO Energia cosmonaut corps. He qualified as a test cosmonaut in November 1986.

Kaleri has been on three previous space missions, each of them a long stay mission to the Russian space station Mir. He has made four spacewalks during his previous missions.

Alexander Kaleri is currently Flight Engineer of ISS Expedition Eight.