spacetoday.net: ISS wedding takes place

Posted: Mon, Aug 11, 2003, 12:28 PM ET (1628 GMT)
ISS illustration (NASA)

International Space Station cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko married his earthbound bride in a unique ceremony on the station and Earth on Sunday. The marriage between Malenchenko and Ekaterina Dmitriev took place Sunday using a video link between the station and the Gilruth Center at NASA's Johnson Space Center. The wedding was announced last month, taking advantage of a provision in Texas law that allows marriages even if the bride or groom is not present. Russian government officials had made an effort to block the wedding, but dropped their opposition last week. However, officials said they will likely require future ISS cosmonauts to agree not to participate in wedding ceremonies while in orbit. The wedding was a private event, although Dmitriev later spoke with reporters at the wedding reception.