US Astronaut Says Thanks to Russia

The International Space Station /ISS/ Expedition 7 Crew was introduced to journalists at the Stellar City, Moscow's environs, on Friday. The crew of two members, Russian cosmonaut Yury Malenchenko and US astronaut Edward Lu, will fly to the ISS on board the Russian Soyuz space vehicle, which will blast off from the Baikonur cosmodrome on April 26th.

The American astronaut, who had undergone a two-month training at the Stellar City, expressed thanks to Russian experts. Since the crash of the American Columbia space shuttle Russia has been the only link to the space outpost, said the astronaut. "We are grateful to this country," he said emphatically.

He reported on 15 research experiments in medicine, biology and astrophysics that are planned to be carried out on the ISS for the six months the new crew will spend there.

Malenchenko and Lu will replace the Station's sixth crew, which has been working on the ISS for nearly half-year.