NASA to telecast Soyuz spacecraft launch

HOUSTON, Sept. 15 (UPI) -- The U.S. space agency says it will televise the launch of a Soyuz TMA-16 spacecraft this month and its mission to the International Space Station.

The spacecraft will be carrying a spaceflight participant, a Russian cosmonaut and a NASA astronaut to the station and then will return two ISS crewmembers to Earth.

NASA said its coverage will begin Thursday with a broadcast of prelaunch activities and continue through the spacecraft's Oct. 11 landing.

Soyuz Commander Max Suraev, NASA astronaut Jeff Williams and spaceflight participant Guy Laliberte are to be aboard the spacecraft when it lifts off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 3:14 a.m. EDT Wednesday, Sept. 30.

Laliberte, a Canadian citizen and founder of Cirque du Soleil, will fly to the station under an agreement with the Russian Federal Space Agency to become Canada's first space tourist.

After a two-day trip, the Soyuz will dock at the station about 4:36 a.m. EDT Oct. 2. Once aboard the orbiting laboratory, Williams, Suraev and Laliberte will be greeted by ISS Commander Gennady Padalka, NASA's Mike Barratt and Nicole Stott, the European Space Agency's Frank De Winne, Russian cosmonaut Roman Romanenko and the Canadian Space Agency's Bob Thirsk, NASA said.

After Padalka and Barratt depart the station, De Winne will become commander of the next station mission, designated Expedition 21.

NASA TV streaming video, downlink and schedule information is available at http://www.nasa.gov/ntv.