Russia and the United States will fly together to the International Space Station (ISS) for the first time since the outbreak of war in Ukraine. Cosmonauts Sergei Prokopyev and Dmitri Petelin and NASA astronaut Frank Rubio are scheduled to take off aboard a Soyuz rocket at 3:54 p.m. CEST from the Baikonur cosmodrome in the steppes of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Central Asia.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine is putting even more strain on the already difficult relations between Moscow and Washington. Russia complains that US and EU sanctions in the course of the war are making space travel, including the production of missiles that can also be used for military purposes, more difficult.
The two cosmonauts Prokopyev and Petelin travel with Rubio in a Soyuz MS-22 space capsule in a three-hour flight. They have to spend six months there.
“Incredibly Important Mission”
It was an “incredibly important mission,” NASA astronaut Frank Rubio said a few weeks before launch. He gets on very well with his two Russian crew members. “We have become good friends. You know my family, I know yours.” Rubio described the collaboration between NASA and Roskosmos as “good and strong” – despite differences.
“I think it’s important that when there are moments of tension elsewhere, human spaceflight and exploration remain a form of collaboration, diplomacy and collaboration where we can find common ground and achieve great things together.” about a continuation of the cooperation “for many more years”.
In view of the conflict with the West, Russia recently announced that it will withdraw from the ISS after 2024. An exact date was not given. German astronaut Matthias Maurer considers Russia’s announced withdrawal unlikely. “You can’t figure it out.”
The new head of the Russian space agency Roskosmos, Yuri Borisov, said in late July: “The decision to leave this station after 2024 has been made.” According to Maurer, Roskosmos has now relented. “We’ve heard they’re still there.” That is also plausible, since Russia only completed its part of the ISS last year. “Russia is only now able to do good research there.”
Before the start of the 68th ISS mission, cosmonaut Prokopyev said: “The program is quite full – in addition to fast docking, five exits to space are planned.” In addition, 48 experiments are planned, including working with a 3D printer in zero gravity.
Although it is Prokopyev’s second flight to space, Petelin and Rubio are flying for the first time. The hardest thing for him personally will be the long separation from his wife and four children, said the astronaut, who was born in 1975 in Los Angeles. He will bring some family photos to the ISS.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
