41.   The new crew of the international space station expects challenges and hard work during its four-month stay on the orbiting outpost.

42.   The orbiting outpost, occupied nonstop since November, has grown considerably since then.

43.   The shuttle is due at the orbiting outpost on Friday.

44.   The shuttle will bring back the three men who spent more than six months aboard the orbiting outpost.

45.   The primary oxygen generator on the orbiting outpost has been working intermittently over the past few weeks and, as of Wednesday, was not operating at all.

46.   The shuttle will bring back the three men who have been living on the orbiting outpost for six months.

47.   The trip to the orbiting outpost takes two days.

48.   The three will relieve American Bill Shepherd and his two Russian crewmates, who have been aboard the orbiting outpost for the past four months.

49.   The three-man crew aboard Alpha still has to complete two more months of a six-month stay on the orbiting outpost.

50.   The two ventured out twice earlier in the week to work on the orbiting outpost.