SB SPACE @ ARL $ARLS001
ARLS001 Chiao to Sub for McArthur as Next ISS Commander

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QST de W1AW  
Space Bulletin 001  ARLS001
From ARRL Headquarters  
Newington, CT  January 16, 2004
To all radio amateurs

SB SPACE ARL ARLS001
ARLS001 Chiao to Sub for McArthur as Next ISS Commander

Veteran NASA astronaut Leroy Chiao will replace William McArthur Jr,
KC5ACR, as the commander Expedition 9, the next mission aboard the
International Space Station. NASA says the change in crew assignment
resulted from "a temporary medical issue" related to McArthur's
qualifications for the long-duration flight. Chiao will join Russian
cosmonaut and flight engineer Valery Tokarev for the six-month
mission.

"Because we are very cautious in our approach to crew health, we
train backups for this kind of situation," said NASA Astronaut
Office Chief Kent Rominger. He indicated that NASA plans to assign
McArthur to another ISS crew increment.

McArthur expressed disappointment in the turn of events but said he
understood the necessity of the medical criteria in place for
long-duration space flight. "I know that Leroy will ensure all of
the Expedition 9 objectives are met," McArthur said, "and I look
forward to flying soon on another space station mission."

As a member of the Expedition 9 backup crew, Chiao has been training
with McArthur for months. He will also serve as NASA ISS Science
Officer.

Since the switch would leave the ISS without an Amateur Radio
licensee aboard during the next crew's tour, it's anticipated that
Chiao will become licensed before he goes into space. The Expedition
9 crew is scheduled for launch aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft in
April.

European Space Agency astronaut Andre Kuipers of the Netherlands
will round out the three-member Soyuz crew. He will return to Earth
a week later with the Expedition 8 crew of Mike Foale, KB5UAC, and
Alex "Sasha" Kaleri, U8MIR.
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