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Soyuz spacecraft ready for trip to ISS on Oct. 12

RIA Novosti

09/10/2008 16:37 BAIKONUR (Kazakhstan), October 9 (RIA Novosti) - Russian experts on Thursday completed the installation of a Soyuz TMA-13 spacecraft on a carrier rocket in preparation for the launch of the 18th Expedition to the International Space Station (ISS).

A three-stage Soyuz-FG carrier rocket is scheduled for launch from the Baikonur space center in Kazakhstan on October 12.

The rocket with attached spacecraft will be transported from an assembly facility to the launch pad on Friday evening and technicians will start pre-flight preparation procedures.

The ISS was successfully moved to a higher orbit on October 4 to receive the Soyuz craft carrying U.S. astronaut Mike Fincke, Russian cosmonaut Yury Lonchakov and U.S. space tourist Richard Garriott.

The crew was approved by Russia's space agency in late September after completing a series of preflight tests and medical checkups.

American millionaire Richard Garriott, who made his fortune in developing online computer games, including the popular Ultima Online, will become the sixth space tourist to travel to the ISS at a cost of $30 million.

Some reports earlier said he may participate in onboard scientific experiments and even conduct a space walk.