Russian Trip Day #6 Press Conference

We began the day by attending the press conference for Expedition 18. Held at the Cosmonaut Hotel, it was jam packed with the international media, Russian dignitaries, crew families and friends, and us lucky few who were traveling with Mir Corporation's "Inside the Russian Space Program." The cosmonauts and astronauts spend their last two weeks before their launch living at the Cosmonaut Hotel. They are in quarantine, and cannot see their family or friends unless they are separated by glass. The only people they have close contact with are the medical personnel who monitor their health. During the press conference, where the media is invited to ask them questions about their upcoming launch and mission to the International Space Station, the prime crew and the backup crew sit in a room behind glass. Photographers crowd up close to the glass, and those reporters wanting to ask questions step up to a microphone which relays the question to the crew inside the glass room. Interestingly, most of the questions were asked of American space participant Richard Garriott, who is paying to fly to the ISS. People asked him to describe the projects he intended to accomplish while in space.






Garriott, son of former NASA astronaut Owen Garriott, plans to complete science experiments and participate in webcasts with American schools during his 10 day stay in space. To hear his first audio downlink from space,
click here. Garriott is also planning some art activities to do in microgravity. He planned those with his mother, who is an artist. To view photos of Richard creating his art in space,
click here. Questions directed at Garriott also asked whether or not he was nervous about the launch. He replied that he has complete confidence in the Russian technology and the Soyuz rocket. He said the Russians have launched rockets successfully from the Yuri Gagarin launch pad for decades and that after spending a year training at both Star City and Baikonur Cosmodrome, he remains extremely impressed with Russian space technology. Questions for Mike Fincke, Expedition 18 commander, included inquiries about the purpose of the mission regarding both the continuation of construction of the ISS and the science on board. At the end of the press conference, the crew spoke of their dedication to the mission, their faith in space technology, and their respect for one another. They ended the press conference with a great group shot.









After the conference, our group set out for a visit to the various monuments scattered around the town of Baikonur, all dedicated to the exploration of space. Here you can see space participant Greg Olsen in front of the gigantic statue of Yuri Gagarin. At the next stop, we got up close to a Soyuz rocket just like the one that we watched on its way to the launch pad for the Expedition 18 flight. It is incredible to be this close and imagine the explosive power of this rocket. And tomorrow, that power will carry three men into space!