Transport manned spacecraft “Soyuz MS-16” with the Russian-American crew docked to the International space station (ISS) in automatic mode
Roscosmos / Vkontakte aboard the spacecraft “Soyuz MS-16” is a new crew of ISS astronauts Roscosmos Anatoly Ivanishin (spacecraft commander) and John Wagner as well as NASA astronaut Christopher Cassidy
NASA / Twitter
the Transport manned spacecraft “Soyuz MS-16” with the Russian-American crew docked to the International space station (ISS) in automatic mode. The stream of flight, the led “Roscosmos”.
the Ship “Soyuz MS-16” moored to the docking port of the mini research module (MIM-2) “Poisk” at 17:13 Moscow Thursday. The process of docking was controlled by the specialists of the control Centre flights (TSUP) and the Russian crew of the spacecraft and the station, reports “Interfax”.
After docking with the ISS will be opening passageways, which is scheduled at 19:30 Moscow time.
the launch of the rocket “Soyuz-2.1 a” was held at 11:05 Moscow time from the launch complex pad No. 31 of the Baikonur cosmodrome. This is the first launch of the rocket “Soyuz-2.1 a” with a manned mission on Board the spacecraft “Soyuz MS-16” is a new crew of ISS astronauts Roscosmos Anatoly Ivanishin (spacecraft commander) and John Wagner, as well as NASA astronaut Christopher Cassidy.
According to the flight program, Ivanishin, Wagner and Cassidy will be in space for 196 days. Russian cosmonauts aboard the ISS will conduct a series of scientific-applied researches and experiments, and perform works on equipping the Russian segment of the station. Their return to Earth scheduled for October 2020.
On Board the ISS meet their colleagues cosmonaut of the Roscosmos Oleg skripochka, NASA astronauts Andrew Morgan, and Jessica Meir. The current crew should land on April 17 after a long expedition.
Preparing for launch took place in conditions of high security on the background of the pandemic coronavirus. Cosmonauts and astronauts were almost completely isolated from the others, allowed to work with them, the ground personnel held permanent control. The crew of “Soyuz MS-16” went into space without traditional wires relatives and friends who were not admitted to the spaceport.
Astronaut Chris Cassidy on preflight a press-conferences on Wednesday, April 8, declared his confidence that the new crew will not be delivered coronavirus infection on Board the ISS.
Earlier it was planned that in April in the new expedition to the ISS will fly Nikolai Tikhonov, Andrey Babkin and Chris Cassidy, but in February, the Executive Director of the Russian space Agency for manned space programs Sergey Krikalev reported that for medical reasons the Russian part of the crew of “Soyuz MS-16” will be replaced by doubles – Hall and Wagner.
