MOSCOW. Nov 30 (Interfax-AVN) - The Russian Federal Space Agency has considered and approved the list of cosmonauts and astronauts who will comprise Expedition 11 to the International Space Station, the agency's website reported on Tuesday.
"Experienced people, who have already visited the ISS, namely cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev and NASA astronaut John Phillips, will become members of the main crew," the report reads.
These are the people who will replace Expedition 10 (cosmonaut Salizhan Sharipov and NASA astronaut Leroy Chiao), which has been working in orbit since October 16.
According to preliminary reports, European Space Agency astronaut Roberto Vittori will become the third crew member of the Soyuz TMA-6 spacecraft. Vittori, a citizen of Italy, will spend 10 days aboard the ISS. He is currently taking training in Zvyozdny in the Moscow region.
The Federal Space Agency's press service noted that the contract for Vittori's flight is not yet signed, but is being elaborated. The document is expected to be signed in late December or early January.
Applications for membership in the backup crew have also been considered.
The start of Expedition 11 is scheduled for April 2005.
Decisions to this effect have been made at a session of the multilateral coordination council that analyzed applications for flight to the ISS.
The information was confirmed by Alexei Krasnov, head of the Federal Space Agency's manned programs directorate.