Salizhan, station engineer, will command the effort and have manual control while Leroy is monitoring the computers and other gadgetry. The American astronaut is current station commander, and the Russian will be Soyuz captain as soon as he gets inside the craft - he knows the Soyuz better than Leroy, added Mr. Blagov.
The undocking command is scheduled to come Monday noon, 12.29, Moscow time, to be precise. The Soyuz will leave the Pier four or five minutes later to approach the Zarya sometime at 1 p.m. The re-docking is necessary for crew safety as the spacemen come back to the station from ventures into open space. The men cross the Pier as they leave the station and return to it, so the unit, of Russian design and manufacture, is better vacated. It is rather inconvenient to cross the Soyuz for the purpose, and threatens problems if an emergency comes - for instance, if the craft gets depressurised. It is surely better to reach the station at once, explained Victor Blagov.
