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A launch day ritual
Science & Exploration

A launch day ritual

15/12/2010 338 views 0 likes 232587 ID
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ESA's astronaut Paolo Nespoli and his crewmates during traditional blessing by a Russian Orthodox priest at the Cosmonaut Hotel at Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, on 15 December 2010.

Paolo Nespoli was launched in a Soyuz TMA-20 spacecraft on 15 December at 20:09 CET with Dmitri Kondratyev and Catherine Coleman for a challenging 6-month mission on the International Space Station (ISS) as members of Expeditions 26/27.

Paolo’s MagISStra mission is Europe’s third long-duration mission on the ISS. Between December 2010 and June 2011 he will be part of the ISS crew as a flight engineer.

  • ESA - S. Corvaja, 2010
  • Human Spaceflight
  • MagISStra (Astronaut Nespoli)
  • Astronauts Astronauts ESA astronauts International partners
A launch day ritual: a blessing
Science & Exploration

A launch day ritual: a blessing

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A launch day ritual: signing the door
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A launch day ritual: signing the door

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A launch day ritual: signing the door
Science & Exploration

A launch day ritual: signing the door

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Soyuz TMA-20 crew leaving the Cosmonaut Hotel
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Soyuz TMA-20 crew leaving the Cosmonaut Hotel

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Paolo Nespoli and
Science & Exploration

Paolo Nespoli and "Cady" Coleman ready for lift off

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