01 January 2004 12:28
"Dummy" cosmonaut to join International Space Station
Moscow, 1 January: Two permanent crews, one tourist and an electronic "cosmonaut" will set out from
Baykonur for the International Space Station this year. An ITAR-TASS correspondent was told at the Russian Academy of
Sciences Institute of Medical and Biological Problems that "an 80-kilogram dummy full of sensitive instruments to
measure radiation will be sent out in a Progress cargo craft at the end of January".
The cosmonauts will set up Mr Rendo, as the scientists call him, outside the space station during spacewalks. The
same craft will also take out to the station a "matreshka" [Russian doll containing smaller dolls], a globe 35
centimetres in diameter containing dosimeters. The matreshka will form part of the interior of the ISS. "The aim of
the experiment is to study the effect of cosmic radiation on the human organism," the institute said.
In 2004 the Russian Soyuz and Progress craft will be the only means of rotating crews and putting cargo into orbit.
According to the Russian Aerospace Agency, the ninth main expedition will set out for the ISS in April. A Dutch doctor,
Andre Kuipers, will go into orbit on a 10-day European Space Agency mission alongside Russia's Valeriy Tokarev and
the American William MacArthur. Kuipers will return to Earth with the Russian Aleksandr Kaleri and NASA astronaut
Michael Foale, who have been working since October last year. No companion has yet been chosen for the Russian Gennadiy
Padalka and the American Michael Fink, who will set out for a lengthy mission in orbit in October. The third in the
Soyuz craft will most likely be a space tourist, the Russian Aerospace Agency said.
[ITAR-TASS news agency] |
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