Padalka to replace Lonchakov in ISS mission
MOSCOW. Sept 25 (Interfax-AVN) - Russian cosmonaut Gennady Padalka will replace Yuri Lonchakov, who has taken a job with Gazprom Space Systems, as part of the upcoming mission to the International Space Station (ISS), a space industry source told Interfax-AVN.
"Another experienced cosmonaut, Gennady Padalka, will take Lonchakov's place in the crew to depart for the ISS in March 2015," he said.
The mission will last 198 days, which means that Padalka may beat the world space flight duration record of his boss, Cosmonaut Training Center head Sergei Krikalyov, the source reported.
"Krikalyov spent 803 days in space over the course of his six missions. Padalka has been on four space missions with a total duration of 710 days. He will beat the record by more than 100 days during his fifth mission and spend a total of 908 days in space," the source said.
