spacetoday.net: Report: next two ISS crews swapped

Updated: Wed, Feb 4, 2004, 8:27 PM ET (0127 GMT)
Originally Posted: Wed, Feb 4, 2004, 10:58 AM ET (1558 GMT)
ISS illustration (NASA)

The next two crews to stay on the International Space Station have been swapped because of a medical issue with a US astronaut, the RIA Novosti news agency reported Wednesday. The Expedition 9 crew of Leroy Chiao and Valery Tokarev, which had been scheduled to fly to the station in April, will change places with the Expedition 10 crew of Michael Fincke and Gennady Padalka. Last month NASA announced that Chiao would fly on Expedition 9 in place of William McArthur, who had an unspecified but temporary medical disqualification. Russian officials told RIA Novosti that this led to the decision to switch the order of the next two crews, but offered no other details. SPACE.com reported later Wednesday that Russian officials said "psychological incompatibility" between Chiao and Tokarev was the reason for the switch, and that McArthur will likely replace Chiao when the crew does fly later this year. NASA has not confirmed the switch, although rumors of the exchange first leaked out last week.