Air supply issues on ISS: Russian Orbital Segment reports failure
- by Carmen Reese
- in Science
- — Jan 17, 2021
"For the first time in the world, a manned spacecraft docked to the ISS, having completed only two orbits around the Earth", the statement read.
Despite the historic event last May, thanks to SpaceX, who sent astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley to the ISS, NASA astronaut Kate Rubins is still set this week to go to the ISS from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan aboard the Soyuz rocket of Russian Federation.
Kate Rubins of NASA, together with Sergey Ryzhikov and Sergey Kud-Sverchkov of Roscosmos, lifted off on Russia's Soyuz MS-17 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Wednesday (Oct. 14).
A three-person crew on Wednesday reached the International Space Station aboard a Russian rocket after the fastest ever journey from Earth - just over three hours.
Cassidy is said to hand command of the whole International Space Station over to Ryzhikov during a small ceremony with all of the crew members that is scheduled to happen 4:15PM on Tuesday Oct 20 and is said to be aired live on the NASA Television or even through the agency's website.
Rubinz, Ryzykov, and Kud-Sverchkov began their 20-year anniversary of the first space station crew to take up residence in the B-Ribital complex two weeks ago.
SpaceX and Boeing's vehicles were ready as early as 2017, but their development program was delayed for years. During the upcoming Expedition 64, NASA is expecting the arrival of the known Crew-1 aboard the recent SpaceX Crew Dragon on the very first operational commercial mission to reach the space station and bring in an additional four members. Since the successful Demo-2 commercial crew mission to the ISS by SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft this summer, though, NASA has not expressed any public interest in buying future Soyuz seats.
The NASA duo returned safely on August 2 and a fresh SpaceX launch, this time anticipating a full-length half-year mission to the space station, is expected next month.
"We don't get to choose our launch date or what occurs on station but certainly I feel incredibly lucky to be on station when.these events are happening", said the American astronaut, who was celebrating her 42nd birthday on Wednesday. "We'll continue to train crews over here and we're going to have cosmonauts come to the Johnson Space Center and train".
Rubins was added to the crew in May when NASA announced it was purchasing a final Soyuz seat from Roscosmos for $90.25 million.
Wednesday's mission is the last scheduled Russian flight carrying a U.S. crew member. Eastern, placing the Soyuz MS-17 spacecraft into orbit nine minutes later.
