Thu, Oct 01, 2009
Cirque du Soleil Founder Guy Laliberte On His Way To ISS
The next residents of the International Space Station launched
into orbit aboard a Soyuz spacecraft Wednesday from the Baikonur
Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. NASA astronaut Jeff Williams, Russian
cosmonaut Max Suraev and spaceflight participant Guy Laliberte, the
founder of Cirque du Soleil, lifted off at 0214 CDT.
Soyuz Launch File Photo
Future Expedition 22 Commander Williams, Soyuz Commander Suraev
and Laliberte are scheduled to dock with the station at 0337
on October 2nd. They will spend nine days as members of a
joint crew that includes Expedition 20 Commander Gennady Padalka,
NASA's Mike Barratt and Nicole Stott, the European Space Agency's
Frank De Winne, Russian cosmonaut Roman Romanenko and the Canadian
Space Agency's Bob Thirsk. The nine spacefarers will answer
questions from reporters during a news conference from the complex
at 0910 October 6th.
On October 10th, Padalka will transfer command of the station to
De Winne, who will become commander of the next station mission,
designated Expedition 21. Padalka, Barratt and Laliberte will land
in Kazakhstan. Padalka and Barratt have been aboard the orbiting
laboratory since March.
Laliberte, a Canadian citizen and the founder of Cirque du
Soleil, is flying to the station under an agreement between the
Russian Federal Space Agency and Space Adventures, Ltd. He will
spend nine days aboard the orbiting laboratory. During his stay
aboard ISS, Mr. Laliberte will share information about
water-related issues through an artistic and poetic mission, with
the theme "Moving Stars and Earth for Water." He hopes the message
he transmits from space will raise awareness for the ONE DROP
Foundation. The centerpiece event will take place on October 9 from
space and in 14 cities simultaneously around the world, beginning
at 2000 eastern time.
Central to the mission is a poem written by Canadian author Yann
Martel. The tale will be delivered piece by piece, one destination
at a time. The event will broadcast live on onedrop.org.
"Traveling has always been my way of life and I have been
researching the possibilities of space travel with Space Adventures
since 2004. But I needed it to be the right time and for the right
purpose. This is the time. And the purpose is clear: to raise
awareness on water issues to humankind on planet earth," said Guy
Laliberte. "My mission is dedicated to making a difference on this
vital resource by using what I know best: artistry. This will be
the first poetic social mission in space."
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