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Soyuz TMA-01M
Part of the 25th full-time crew of the International Space Station lifts off from Russia’s Baikonur Cosmodrome aboard Soyuz TMA-01M. This is a newly redesigned and upgraded Soyuz vehicle, boasting fully digital navigation and automation. Aleksandr Kaleri, Oleg Skripochka and Scott Kelly take up residence on the ISS for 159 days, becoming part of the Expedition 25/26 crews. All three return to Earth in March 2011 aboard the same vehicle.
Having successfully demonstrated an unmanned cargo vehicle to make supply runs to the International Space Station, SpaceX launches the first Dragon capsule to the ISS under its new commercial resupply contract with NASA. The flight is not without difficulties: one of the nine engines of the Falcon 9 booster’s first stage shuts down in flight without impacting the Dragon capsule’s ability to reach the right orbit, but a secondary payload – a commercial satellite to be launched from the Falcon’s upper stage – is stranded in the wrong orbit and falls back into Earth’s atmosphere in days. NASA and SpaceX begin a joint investigation into the mishap, while the Dragon capsule docks with the ISS and remains in orbit for nearly three weeks as Expedition 33 crew members unload new cargo and stow items for return to Earth aboard the capsule, which will be recovered on Earth after splashdown in the Pacific Ocean.
The first episode of The Flash, a modern-day reboot of DC Comics’ superhero, premieres on the CW, starring Grant Gustin. The series has been developed for TV by Greg Berlanti, creator of Arrow and past TV successes including Everwood and Eli Stone, and is part of the CW’s “shared universe” of DC Comics adaptations frequently referred to by fans as the Arrowverse. Stephen Amell (Arrow) guest stars; Barry Allen’s father is played by John Wesley Shipp, who played The Flash in his last TV series during the 1990-91 season.
The 70th episode of Arrow, a modern-day reboot of DC Comics’ Green Arrow superhero starring Stephen Amell, airs on the CW. Grant Gustin (The Flash) and Neal McDonough (Boomtown) guest star in the fourth season premiere.
Cable channel Disney XD airs the 