New Russian - U.S. Team To Leave For I.S.S. In October

MOSCOW, Aug 23 (AFP) - A new Russian-US team for the International Space Station (ISS) will take off from the Baikonur space station in the former Soviet republic of Kazakhstan in October, Russian space officials said Monday.
The three-person team, due to be approved on Thursday, will leave for the ISS on board a Russian Soyuz TMA-5 spacecraft, Russia's Federal Space Agency, Roskosmos said on its website.
They are due to leave on October 9, it said.
A state commission is scheduled to examine the candidacy of Russian cosmonaut Salijan Charipov and US astronaut Leroy Chiao, the Russian Interfax news agency said.
A third team member has yet to be chosen. Interfax said it could be an officer of the Russian space forces.
Meanwhile, a bid by Russian businessman Sergei Polonski who had hoped to become the world's third space tourist after Dennis Tito of the United States and South African Mark Shuttleworth has been ruled out.
Polonski's height and weight exceeds the norms for cosmonauts, and the Russian businessman has also failed to agree financial matters with Roskosmos, Interfax quoted a source close to the negotiations as saying.
The new team will replace current crew, American Michael Finke and Russian Gennady Padalk, who have been orbiting aboard the ISS since April 21.