Russian space official says Soyuz with circus tycoon, 2 astronauts lands safely in Kazakhstan

October 2nd, 2009 Craft carrying circus tycoon reaches space stationKOROLYOV, Russia — A spacecraft carrying a Canadian circus tycoon and a two-man Russian-American crew has docked at the International Space Station. Billionaire Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberte is the seventh paying space tourist to visit the orbital station.

September 30th, 2009 Rocket readied at Kazakh steppe for ISS missionBAIKONUR, Kazakhstan — Workers at Russia's manned space-launch facility lifted to the launch pad on Monday a rocket that is to send Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberte and two astronauts to the International Space Station. The gleaming white Soyuz rocket and capsule moved at a walking pace across the Kazakh steppe aboard a train taking it from its assembly building to the launch pad known as Gagarin's Start.

September 30th, 2009 Billionaire clown boards capsule for space flightBAIKONUR, Kazakhstan — Billionaire entertainer Guy Laliberte has been greeted by a raucous crowds of friends and family during preparations for his Soyuz rocket trip to the International Space Station. The Cirque du Soleil founder and two fellow astronauts were cheered by supporters wearing red clown noses during pre-launch preparations Wednesday at Russia's Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

September 30th, 2009 Billionaire clown heads for space stationBAIKONUR, Kazakhstan — A billionaire Canadian circus tycoon is on his way to the International Space Station. A Soyuz capsule carrying Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberte and two fellow astronauts lifted off on schedule Wednesday from the Baikonur launch facility atop a towering Russian rocket.

September 4th, 2009 Big chunk of space junk misses space stationCAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — A big piece of space junk safely sped by the international space station and shuttle Discovery, missing by less than a mile.

June 10th, 2009 Space station astronauts 'space walk' in airlockMOSCOW — Two international space station crewmen have squeezed into an airlock aboard the station to move a docking mechanism. American Michael Barratt and Russian Gennady Padalka entered the transfer compartment in the station's Russian-made Zvezda service module on Wednesday for a job expected to take less than 40 minutes.

May 29th, 2009 MOSCOW - The Russian space capsule Soyuz successfully docked with the orbiting International Space Station (ISS) Friday, bringing three more crew members to the ISS, Russian TV reported. The Soyuz had been launched from the Baikonur space centre in Kazakhstan Wednesday.

May 29th, 2009 Space station crew finally at full staff of 6CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — The international space station just had a population boom.

May 29th, 2009 Docking brings space station to full staff of 6CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — The international space station just had a population boom.

May 29th, 2009 Russia signs deal to ferry astronauts in 2012MOSCOW — The Russian space agency says it has signed a $306 million deal with NASA to ferry its astronauts to the international space station in 2012. Roscosmos said Friday the agreement covers four launches aboard the three-person Soyuz capsules to swap out crews in the orbiting laboratory.

May 27th, 2009 MOSCOW - A Russian Soyuz TMA-15 spacecraft carrying three astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) was launched Wednesday from the Baikonur space center in Kazakhstan, the mission control said. "The craft is due to dock with the ISS May 29," a spokesperson said.

May 14th, 2009 MOSCOW - Russian space agency Roscosmos and the US space agency NASA have agreed on a new price for ferrying US astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) after 2012, an official said. NASA will now pay $51 million for a single seat on Soyuz spacecraft.

April 8th, 2009 MOSCOW - Two astronauts from the US and Russia and a space tourist left the International Space Station (ISS) Wednesday morning on board a Soyuz space capsule to return to Earth. The flight centre near Moscow reported that Soyuz undocked from ISS Wednesday morning and is expected to land in the Kazakhstan steppe around 0716 GMT, the Interfax news agency said.

April 2nd, 2009 MOSCOW - Russia is planning to launch three more Soyuz spacecraft to the International Space Station (ISS) this year, Russian space agency Roscosmos said Thursday. Russia sent a Soyuz TMA-14 vehicle to the ISS March 26 this year to transport the crew to the space station.

March 1st, 2009 MOSCOW - A Russian Meridian 2 military satellite was put into orbit Friday by a Soyuz-2 carrier rocket launched from Plesetsk space centre in north of the country, an aide to the Russian Space Forces commander said. The Meridian-series communication satellites are designed to replace the older Molniya-series spacecraft and in addition to their military uses provide communication, navigation and surveillance services for civilian customers.