March 15, 2006. Korolev, Moscow Region.

At S.P. Korolev Rocket and Space Corporation Energia the regular session of the Board of Chief Designers on the Russian Segment of the International Space Station (ISS) was held under the chairmanship of N.N. Sevastianov, President, General Designer of RSC Energia.

According to the session agenda the following reports were presented:

• Report on the status of Soyuz TMA-8 manned transport spacecraft launch processing (reporter: S.L. Nikolaev, Deputy Director of Orbital Complexes Program, RSC Energia);
• Report on the Soyuz-FG launch vehicle readiness to launch the Soyuz TMA-8 spacecraft (reporter: D.A. Baranov, Deputy General Director, GNP RKTs TsSKB-Progress);
• Report on the Launch Complex readiness to launch the integrated launch vehicle with the Soyuz TMA-8 spacecraft (reporter: I.V.Barmin, KBOM General Director- General Designer);
• Report on the ISS and flight support means readiness to perform the next ISS-13 expedition, on the results of the ISS-12 expedition flight, on the mission program for the forthcoming period (reporter: Yu. A Skursky, Deputy Head of Science-technical center, RSC Energia);
• Report on the Soyuz TMA-7 spacecraft readiness to complete the flight (reporter: S.L. Nikolaev, Deputy Director of Orbital Complexes Program, RSC Energia);
• Report on the ISS-13 crew and VC-10 readiness to perform the forthcoming program of activities on ISS and the ISS-12 crew readiness to descent (reporter: V.V. Tsibliev, Head of RGNII TsPK named after Gagarin);
• Report on the health status of ISS-12, ISS-13 crews and VC-10 (reporter: V.V.Bogomolov, Deputy Director, Institute of Biomedical Problems);
• TsNIIMASh Statement about the Soyuz TMA-8 spacecraft compliance with Technical Specification and standard-technical documents (reporter: A.T. Goryachenkov, Deputy Head of  Science-technical Center, TsNIIMASH);
• Customer’s Representation Conclusion on the Soyuz TMA-8 spacecraft compliance with requirements (reporter: A. S. Krukhmalev, Head of Representation);
• Conclusion on Soyuz TMA-8 readiness, general preliminary conclusion on readiness of  Rocket and Space Complex integral parts and all ISS technical means to the forthcoming mission phase (reporter: N.N. Zelenshchikov, First Vice-President, First Deputy General Designer, RSC Energia);
• Draft decision of Chief Designers Board (reporter: N.N. Sevastianov, President, General Designer , RSC Energia).

In the course of the Board session the co-reports were presented and information of Chief Designers, responsible representatives of organizations and enterprises involved in ISS program implementation.
By results of the Reports and Conclusions review, the Board of Chief Designers took the following decision:

• Approve the test results and RSC Energia proposed plan of forthcoming activities on Soyuz TMA-8 spacecraft processing  and launch to ISS on March 30, 2006 with the Increment 13 crew consisting of two persons (spacecraft commander P.V. Vinogradov and flight engineer J. Williams) and visiting crew VC-10 with space flight participant M. Pontes (Brazil);
• admit ISS RS to perform the Increment-13 program taking into account  the ISS Russian Segment actual state assessment;
• By the results of assessment of Soyuz TMA-7 spacecraft  readiness for activity completion, approve the RSC Energia proposals to return the Increment-12 crew and visiting expedition VC-9 using the Soyuz TMA-7 spacecraft on April 9, 2006;
•  Approve the RSC Energia proposals on the program of Increment 13 with a duration of 178 days from March 30, 2006 to September 24, 2006 with the cargo traffic to the station provided by the Progress M-56 transport cargo vehicle in April 2006 and Progress M-57 in June, 2006;
• Approve the RSC Energia proposals on the program of scientific studies and experiments during Increment 13 and  visiting expedition VE-10;
• Charge RSC Energia (N.N. Sevastianov) with submitting this decision to the Federal Space Agency and higher-level state structures.

At the session the issues were reviewed on performance of the Action items given at the previous session of Chief Designers Board by Heads of enterprises and  organizations.