Roscosmos approved the first completely Russian ISS crew to go to the ISS aboard Soyuz MS-18 spacecraft in April 20201. Cosmonauts selection commission approved the prome and back-up crews of ISS-65 mission. The launch is planned for April 2021 and will take place from Baikonur launchsite, - Roscosmos press office reports.

Twenty years ago on November 2 the first  long-duration space mission crew arrived aboard the ISS. Russian cosmonauts Yuri Gidzenko and Sergey Krikalyov and American astronaut William Shepherd became the first habitants of this unique orbital home. This marked the beginning of new space era of space exploration and international cooperation in space.

The third  Glonass-K new generation navigational satellite launched on Sunday from Plesetsk launchsite with the help of Soyuz-2.1b booster was successfully inserted into the estimated orbit. Soyuz was launched on October 25 at 22.08, Moscow time, at 22.11 ground-based Aerospace Forces operation crews took over the control of the flight. At 22.19 Fregat upper stage with the satellite separated from the third stage of the booster.

Soyuz-2 booster with latest Glonass-K navigational satellite was rolled out from the integration and assembly building of Plesetsk launchsite for the launch planned for October 25, - Reshetnev Informational satellite systems company representative reported.

At 05.54, Moscow time, October 22 Soyuz MS-16 descent capsule successfully landed in the estimated region of Kazakhstan. The crew coming back comprised Roscosmos cosmonauts Anatoly Ivanishin, Ivan Vagner and NASA astronaut Christopher Cassidy.

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.

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.