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Russia-US joint exercise to rescue astronauts |
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August 17, 2000
MOSCOW (AP) - Russian, U.S. and Canadian rescuers held exercises near St. Petersburg on Wednesday on rescuing astronauts returning to Earth as training for the international space station. Thirty Americans and Canadians arrived for the maneuvers Wednesday, the ITAR-Tass news agency cited Col. Gen. Valentin Bobryshev, commander of the Leningrad military district, as saying. The exercises were being held on the territory of the military district. The rescuers were to practice searching for a module carrying three astronauts that splash down into water in an emergency, and searching for a crew that comes down on land, and providing first aid, ITAR-Tass said. The 16-nation international space station is under construction, with the first three modules in place and the first crew expected in November. But Russia's inability to pay its bills and rocket problems have caused major delays in the project, expected to be complete around 2005. |