Space Station Crew Launches from Birthplace of Human Spaceflight
“One week shy of the 50th anniversary of the first human spaceflight, NASA astronaut Ron Garan and Russian cosmonauts Andrey Borisenko and Alexander Samokutyaev launched to the International Space Station at 6:18 p.m. EDT Monday (4:18 a.m. local time, April 5) from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.”
Expedition 27 Prepares to Launch From Yuri Gagarin’s Launch Pad (Photo)
“The Soyuz, which has been dubbed ‘Gagarin,’ is launching one week shy of the 50th anniversary of the launch of Yuri Gagarin from the same launch pad in Baikonur on April 12, 1961 to become the first human to fly in space. The first stage of the Soyuz booster is emblazoned with the name Gagarin and the cosmonaut’s likeness.”
