New Expedition 34 Trio Makes Final Preparations Before Launch

Expedition 34 crew members Chris Hadfield, Roman Romanenko and Tom Marshburn are seen during final launch preparations to join orbiting crewmates Commander Kevin Ford, Oleg Novitskiy and Evgeny Tarelkin. They take a few moments to say goodbye to family and friends. The trio is also blessed by a Russian Orthodox priest when they leave crew quarters. They don their Sokol launch and entry suits before heading to the launch pad at Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan. Finally, they meet mission officials who greet them before they climb into the Soyuz TMA-07M spacecraft. The station's newest trio launched at 7:12 a.m. EST (6:12 p.m. Baikonur time) Dec. 19, 2012.

• Category

  Science & Technology

[jobodo252]

Do they have a choice whether they are blessed or not?

[Drew Stock]

I was thinking the same thing

[adlhbgreqk]

It was the last social iterraction test. :)

[adlhbgreqk]

Of cource they have diapers. 2 days in the chair!

[bombarderoazul]

They just started doing this recently, they are just winter suits, during winter it can get very cold so they wear this on top of their regular sokol spacesuit, before entering the spacecraft they take off their winter suit. It's kind of like a warm coat.

[mStryjchuck]

I think, they are serious men, who have respect for tradition and things like blessing in fact they were just guests in Russia. Also it would just be unkindness if they'd refuse. See also that Hadfield isn't crossing himself.

[sayrith]

whats with the puffy suits?

[Daniel Hurry]

well, in the future, perhaps you'll need to know how to replace the alternator on your spaceship

[MadOldPete]

From your comments, I'd say you've adopted a kind of dogmatic atheism which is dangerously close to being hypocritical. Religion is a diverse and nuanced thing which it's obtuse to dismiss as a "mental illness".

[12dglav1]

What happens if they need to go to the bathroom while in the suit?

[Andro Nom]

He poked the American astronaut.

[Illyious Parsons]

it's so weird seeing chris just on the ground...