ISSCOM 4 April 2010 (069) The Soyuz-TMA 18 with on board Skvortsov, Kornienko and Tracy Caldwell-Dyson successfully docked at the docking port of the Poisk module of the ISS on the 4th April 2010 at 0525UTC. All went well. Skvortsov could fully rely on the Kurs approach system so there was no need to switch over to manual control. The Kurs in the Poisk worked flawlessly. A short time before the final stage of the approach there was a direct contact between Skv and TsUP Moscow within my range. This took place during the ISS orbit 65181. This was between 0512 and 0517UTC when S-TMA 18 could be heard via 3 channels: Directly from the Soyuz on 121.750 Mcs, but this was also relayed via the VHF-1 (143.625 mc) on board of the ISS. And of course via NASA TV. Skv reported the approach data. The Kurs system took care for the good progress. In this stage Skv reported that they switched over to the reserve receiver. (Via NASA TV could be heard that the main receiver was still working.) The S-TMA is hovering for a while in the direction of the docking port. The distance is 170 Meters, so speed now 0. Skv can still be heard reporting that the approach began. The docking (soft mate) took place at 0525UTC. Between 0644 and 0654UTC: First pass after the docking. Skv can be heard for a few seconds via 121.750 Mcs. He tells Misha (Kornienko) that K. can switch off something. Then there is still some voice comunications from the ISS. Kotov reports to TsUP Moscow that they are reconfigurating the communication. If all goes according to the plan Discovery (STS-131) will be launched tomorrow (5th of April at 1021UTC). And friends do not forget to pop over now and then to www.chrisvandenberg.com , though for a while the events with S-TMA 18 caused some delay in the production of the following paragraph. Chris van den Berg, NL-9165