The Soyuz will dock with the International Space Station, approximately 48 hours after lift-off, on Tuesday 23 October at 12:43 CEST (10:43 GMT).

Before its arrival, the members of the Expedition Three crew already on board the station -- Frank Culbertson, station commander, Vladimir Dezhurov, Soyuz commander, and flight engineer Mikhail Tyurin -- will change the location of the Soyuz capsule currently attached to the station to clear the port for the arrival of the visiting crew.

Russian crew members commander Viktor Afanasiev (C) and cosmonaut-engineer Konstantin Kozeyev (L) and astronaut of the European Space Agency Claudie Haignere (R) walk at the cosmodrome Baikonur 18 October 2001. The launch of a Soyuz-TM spacecraft to the ISS with short mission is scheduled for 21 October 2001. Photo by Anatoly Maltsev for EPA/AFP

Alongside Claudie Haignere, two Russian cosmonauts Victor Afanassiev, commander, and Konstantin Kozeev, flight engineer, are the other crewmembers on this mission. She is the first non-Russian woman to undertake the role of flight engineer.

This mission, named Andromede, was initiated by the French Minister for Research and is being carried out under an agreement between the French space agency (CNES), the Russian space agency (Rosaviakosmos) and the Russian company RSC Energia.

One of its main objectives is to replace the Station's Soyuz vehicle which serves as the main rescue craft for the Space Station crew in case of emergency. This is done every six months to ensure that the rescue craft is always in top condition.

The Soyuz TM rocket takes its position at the launch pad at the cosmodrom Baikonur in Kazakhstan, 19 October, 2001. The launch of a Soyuz-TM spacecraft to the ISS for a short mission is scheduled for 21 October 2001. Photo by Anatoly Maltsev for EPA/AFP

The visiting crew will depart from the ISS aboard the Soyuz currently attached to the station on 31 October in the early morning after an eight-day stay, and will land approximately three hours later in Kazakhstan.

During her stay Claudie Haignere and her crewmates will carry out a programme of experiments exploring life sciences, biology, materials science and Earth observation on behalf of CNES, ESA and DLR (German Aerospace Centre). Some of the experiments have been proposed by children and students at various schools and colleges in France and Germany.

"Andromede will demonstrate how the focus of work on the ISS is shifting more and more towards scientific research. Part of our aim is to show young people in Europe what we are doing up there and that a career in science and technology can be fascinating and fulfilling", said Claudie Haignere.

• Claudie Webcasts
  
• Friday, 19 October, 11:15-11:30 CEST, Andromede science, on Europe by Satellite (Hot Bird 3)
• Saturday, 20 October, 12:00-12:15 CEST, Andromede last launch preparations, on Eutelsat W2
• Sunday, 21 October, 10:45-11:15 CEST, Andromede live launch transmission, on Eutelsat W2
• Tuesday, 23 October, 12:30-13:00 CEST, Docking live coverage, on Eutelsat W1
• Tuesday, 23 October, 14:00-14:30 CEST, Entry into ISS live coverage, on Eutelsat W1
• Wednesday, 31 October, 17:00-17:15 CEST, Andromede mission summary, on Eutelsat W1

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