Roscosmos Director General Dmitry Rogozin reported that Russia is going to launch two new modules to the International space station. "We plan to launch multipurpose Nauka laboratory module in 2021. In half a year there is a docking module Prichal (Quay) to be launched", - said Rogozin at IAC-2020.

Last weekend Roscosmos cosmonauts Oleg Novitsky and Pietr Dubrov passed a 2-hours training under the supervision of RSC Energia corporation specialists at pad # 254. These cosmonauts will work aboard the station when Naka is to be launched to the ISS. In the course of the training the cosmonauts studied the interior of the module as well as its outer surface.

The launch of Progress MS-16 cargo vehicle initially planned for December 11 will be delayed, - as Roscosmos press-office reports.

On October 11, Soyuz-2.1a booster was rolled out from the integration building and installed onto the launchpad #31. On October 14 the booster will insert into the orbit Soyuz MS-17 manned vehicle with an international crew comprising Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and NASA astronaut Kathleen Rubins.

Aaccording to the ISS flight program next Wednesday Soyuz MS-17 spacecraft will be launched from Baikonur by Soyuz-2.1a booster. On October 07 the crews conducted final fit-check of the spacecraft at the pad #254 of Baikonur launchsite.

On Sunday, September 27, ISS-64 mission crews both prime and back-up left for Baikonur from Chkalovsky airfield located in Moscow region by two different planes. In several hours the planes successfully landed at Krainy airfield.

Soyuz MS-17 prime and back-up crews successfully passed exams in GCTC, - press-office representative reported. “Both prime comprising Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and NASA astronaut Kathleen Rubins and back-up crew including Roscosmos cosmonauts Oleg Bovitsky and Pyotr Dubrov and NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hai successfully passed two-weeks long examination session getting an “excellent” mark”, - the source stated.

The next spacewalk of Russian cosmonauts from the International Space Station, which is planned before the end of 2020, will be performed from the new module for the first time, a spokesman for the Roscosmos press service said. Currently, exits under the Russian program are carried out from the Pirs module. In 2021, it should be separated from the station and de-orbited to make room for the Science module. After that, exits will be conducted from the "Search" module.

On Thursday, September 10, 2020, specialists of the Roscosmos State Corporation accomplished ISS orbit adjustment maneuver with the help of Progress MS-14 cargo vehicle.

Russia offers space tourists flights to the International Space Station under an expanded program with an extended stay on the ISS - up to one month, said Dmitry Loskutov, General Director of Glavkosmos (a Roscosmos enterprise).