MOSCOW, March 2, 2004. (RIA Novosti) -- A planned correction of the orbit of the International Space Station will be done on Wednesday night. The orbit will be elevated by four kilometers on an average, which is optimal for the reception of the Souyz-TMA spaceship bringing the ninth permanent expedition, the Russian Mission Control Centre said.
The orbital maneuver will be as usual performed with the help of the engines of the Progress-M1-11 space carrier, now docked with the ISS.
"The only impulse will be given at 01:40, Moscow time, on March 3. The space vehicle's engines will work for 530 seconds," said Valeri Lyndin, official spokesman for the MCC.
To him, the main goal of the future maneuver is the shaping of the working orbit for docking with the manned Soyuz ship, scheduled to be launched on April 19 from the Baikonur launching site. Another correction of the ISS orbit is scheduled for March 31, Lyndin said.
