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How did the C. elegans get to the International Space
Station?
When did the launch occur?
The Soyuz 8S launched on 19 April 2004 at 7:18 AM (Moscow time). The Soyuz connected
to the International
Space Station on 21 April at 9:12 AM (Moscow time). What were you doing when
the worms begin their journey to the International Space Station? Go to time
converter to calculate the time in your city. 
When will the C. elegans be returned to Earth?
The landing was on 29 April at 4:21 AM (Moscow time).
Did the worms have to be prepared prior to being
loaded onto the Soyuz?
Yes. Scientists from France, Canada, Japan and the United States loaded the organisms
into culture chambers and bags in Toulouse, France about one week prior to the
Soyuz launch. The flight worms were placed in a powered case that maintained
a temperature of 12°C during their plane ride to Baikonour.
What did the worms live in during their trip?
The worms lived in gas permeable bags that were placed within an aluminum box.
The box had holes in it to allow the worms to breath. The boxes, called experiment
containers, were placed inside a Kubik Topaz, which maintains the samples at
a temperature of 20° C (which is 68°F). For more information on the hardware
that housed the worms during their trip check out the
European Space Agency website.
Did the mission launch on time and did Soyuz dock with
the Space Station OK?
On April 18, 2004 at 03:19 GMT (calculate what time this is in your city by going
to http://www.timezoneconverter.com/cgi-bin/tzc.tzc
) the Russian spacecraft Soyuz containing the Expedition 9 Commander Gennady
Padalka, Flight Engineer Mike Fincke, and European Space Agency astronaut Andre
Kuipers of the Netherlands launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Two
days later on April 20, 2004 at 05:03 GMT the Soyuz spacecraft gently docked
with the Earth-facing port of the Zarya module of International Space Station.
Bread, chocolate and hugs greeted the Expedition 9 crew to the International
Space Station after the successful docking of the ninth mission to the orbital
outpost. Padalka and Fincke relieved Expedition 8 commander Michael Foale and
Alexander Kaleri, who have lived aboard ISS since October 2003.
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NASA Official: BJ Navarro Curator:
NASA Ames Life Sciences Outreach
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