The Cardiocog experiment studies the consequences of weightlessness on the cardiovascular system, the respiratory system, as well as stress and cognitive and physiological reactions of an astronaut during their space mission.

ESA astronaut Pedro Duque will carry out a full scientific programme, spending some 40 hours of his eight days on the ISS on experimental activity. Most of the experiments are sponsored by the Spanish government although there are also a number of reflights of experiments from the Belgian Odissea mission to the ISS in October 2002.

Credits: ESA-P. Duque

At 07:38 CEST (05:38 UT) on 18 October 2003, the Soyuz launcher carrying the Soyuz TMA-3 capsule lifted off for the Cervantes Mission (Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazahkstan).

Credits: ESA/NASA

Pedro Duque is holding one of the containers for the AGEING experiment - there are fruit flies inside the container.

During the Cervantes Mission ESA astronaut Pedro Duque will carry out a full scientific programme, spending some 40 hours of his eight days on the ISS on experimental activity. Most of the experiments are sponsored by the Spanish government although there are also a number of reflights of experiments from the Belgian Odissea mission to the ISS in October 2002.

Credits: ESA-P. Duque

From a European perspective the Cervantes Mission is important because it increases ESA's astronaut experience ahead of the launch of Columbus, Europe's own laboratory to the Space Station. Pedro Duque has worked previously on the development of Columbus.

Credits: ESA-P. Duque