The launch of the next and return of the present International Space Station crew will be broadcast on NASA TV.

The Expedition 11 crew, Commander Sergei Krikalev and Flight Engineer and NASA Station Science Officer John Phillips, is scheduled to launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, at 8:46 p.m. EDT, April 14. European Space Agency (ESA) Astronaut Roberto Vittori of Italy joins them aboard their Soyuz spacecraft. Vittori is flying to the Station for eight days of scientific research under a commercial agreement between ESA and the Russian Federal Space Agency.

The Expedition 10 crew, Commander Leroy Chiao and Flight Engineer Salizhan Sharipov, returns to Earth with Vittor April 24. The landing is scheduled for 6:04 p.m. EDT in Kazakhstan. Chiao and Sharipov have been aboard the Station since October.

Video highlights of crew pre-launch activities in Russia and Kazakhstan air on the NASA TV Video File April 11, 13 and 14. Other NASA TV programming includes (all times Eastern):

Thursday, April 14:

  • 6:40 p.m. — B-roll of Expedition 11/ESA crew pre-launch activities
  • 8 p.m. — Expedition 11/ESA launch coverage begins (launch at 8:46 p.m.)

Friday, April 15:

  • 3 a.m. — B-roll of Expedition 11/ESA pre-launch activities and launch

Saturday, April 16:

  • 9 p.m. — Expedition 11/ESA Station docking coverage begins (docking at 10:19 p.m.; hatch opening at 1:05 a.m. April 17)

Sunday, April 17:

  • 3 a.m. — B-roll of Expedition 11/ESA docking and hatch opening

Sunday, April 24:

  • 11 a.m. — Expedition 10/ESA farewell/hatch closure coverage (hatches close at 11:31 a.m.)
  • 2 p.m. — Expedition 10/ESA Station undocking coverage begins (undocking at 2:41 p.m.)
  • 4:30 p.m. — Expedition 10/ESA deorbit burn and landing coverage begins (deorbit burn at about 5:13 p.m.; landing at 6:04 p.m.)

Video of crew activities at the remote landing site in northern Kazakhstan is expected to air on NASA TV at about 4 a.m. EDT, April 25.

NASA TV is available on the Web and via satellite in the continental U.S. on AMC- 6, Transponder 9C, C-Band, at 72 degrees west longitude. The frequency is 3880.0 MHz. Polarization is vertical, and audio is monaural at 6.80 MHz. In Alaska and Hawaii, it is available on AMC-7, Transponder 18C, C-Band, at 137 degrees west longitude. The frequency is 4060.0 MHz. Polarization is vertical, and audio is monaural at 6.80 MHz. NASA TV is available on the Internet at:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

For information about the Space Station and Expedition crews on the Internet, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/station