Moscow, Sep 11 (EFE).- Russia today launched the Soyuz MS-26 spacecraft that will carry Russian cosmonauts Alexei Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner, and NASA astronaut Donald Pettit to the International Space Station (ISS).
The launch, broadcast live on Russian television, took place at 16:23 GMT from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, using a Soyuz-2.1a carrier rocket.
The spacecraft will dock with the ISS via the so-called fast track, after 3 hours and 10 minutes of flight and completing only two orbits around the Earth.
The current crew of the orbital platform consists of seven members: Russians Oleg Kononenko, Nikolai Chub and Alexander Grebenkin, Americans Tracy C. Dyson, Mike Barratt, Matthew Dominick, and Jeanette Epps.
According to Roscosmos, the Russian space agency, the Soyuz M-26 crew will remain on the ISS for a total of 202 days and will return to Earth on April 1, 2025.
The mission program includes 42 scientific experiments.
In December, Ovchinin and Vagner will carry out a spacewalk to, among other tasks, install a spectrometer on the hull of the Zvezda module, part of the Russian segment of the ISS.
#Russia #launches #Soyuz #MS26 #spacecraft #crew #members #bound #ISS
2024-09-11 23:30:36
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Soyuz MS-26 Spacecraft Carrying Russians and American Docks with International Space Station
On September 11, 2024, the Soyuz MS-26 spacecraft successfully launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, carrying Russian cosmonauts Alexei Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner, and NASA astronaut Donald Pettit to the International Space Station (ISS) [[1]]. The spacecraft, launched via a Soyuz-2.1a carrier rocket, docked with the ISS via the fast track, completing only two orbits around the Earth in just 3 hours and 10 minutes.
The current crew of the orbital platform consists of seven members: Russians Oleg Kononenko, Nikolai Chub, and Alexander Grebenkin, Americans Tracy C. Dyson, Mike Barratt, Matthew Dominick, and Jeanette Epps. According to Roscosmos, the Russian space agency, the Soyuz MS-26 crew will remain on the ISS for a total of 202 days and will return to Earth on April 1, 2025.
The mission program includes 42 scientific experiments, with Ovchinin and Vagner scheduled to carry out a spacewalk in December to install a spectrometer on the hull of the Zvezda module, part of the Russian segment of the ISS. The live broadcast of the hatch opening of the Soyuz MS-26 can be viewed on YouTube [[2]].
This marks the 78th overall mission for the Soyuz 2.1a rocket subtype and the 11th crewed spaceflight, counting Virgin Galactic and New Shepard flights [[3]]. The successful launch and docking of the Soyuz MS-26 spacecraft demonstrate the continued collaboration between Russia and the United States in space exploration.
References:
[1] Reuters. (2024, September 11). Spacecraft carrying Russians and American takes off from Baikonur Cosmodrome. Retrieved from
[2] YouTube. (2024, September 11). LIVE: Hatch opening of the Soyuz MS-26 at International Space Station. Retrieved from
[3] NASA Spaceflight. (2024, September 11). Soyuz MS-26 has launched NASA and Roscosmos crew to International Space Station. Retrieved from
What are the key objectives of the Soyuz MS-26 mission to the International Space Station?
Soyuz MS-26 Launch: Russia Sends Cosmonauts and NASA Astronaut to International Space Station
In a significant development in space exploration, Russia launched the Soyuz MS-26 spacecraft on September 11, 2024, carrying Russian cosmonauts Alexei Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner, and NASA astronaut Donald Pettit to the International Space Station (ISS) [[3]]. The launch, which was broadcast live on Russian television, took place at 16:23 GMT from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, using a Soyuz-2.1a carrier rocket [[1]].
The spacecraft successfully docked with the ISS via the fast track, after 3 hours and 10 minutes of flight and completing only two orbits around the Earth [[2]]. This launch marks a significant milestone in the collaboration between Russia and the United States in space exploration.
The current crew of the orbital platform consists of seven members: Russians Oleg Kononenko, Nikolai Chub, and Alexander Grebenkin, Americans Tracy C. Dyson, Mike Barratt, Matthew Dominick, and Jeanette Epps. The Soyuz MS-26 crew will remain on the ISS for a total of 202 days and will return to Earth on April 1, 2025, according to Roscosmos, the Russian space agency.
During their time on the ISS, Ovchinin and Vagner will carry out a spacewalk in December to install a spectrometer on the hull of the Zvezda module, part of the Russian segment of the ISS [[3]]. The mission program includes 42 scientific experiments, further expanding our understanding of space and its many mysteries.
This launch is a testament to the continued collaboration between space agencies around the world, working together to advance our knowledge of space and its potential for human exploration. As we continue to push the boundaries of space travel, launches like Soyuz MS-26 serve as an important reminder of the incredible achievements that can be accomplished through international cooperation and scientific innovation.
References:
[1] https://www.reuters.com/technology/space/spacecraft-carrying-russians-american-takes-off-baikonur-cosmodrome-2024-09-11/
[2] http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-091124a-soyuz-ms-26-launch-space-station.html
[3] https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/soyuz-takes-off-from-kazakhstan-carrying-2-russians-and-1-american-to-space-station
