By order of the Government of the Russian Federation, the Center for the Operation of Ground-Based Space Infrastructure Facilities (TsENKI, part of the Roscosmos State Corporation) was appointed the general contractor and the sole contractor for the construction of nine facilities of the first stage of the Vostochny cosmodrome. As part of this work, the construction of seven residential buildings in the Zvezdny microdistrict in the city of Tsiolkovsky will be completed, the Complex for the storage of rocket fuel components, the Complex for the operation of the fall areas, the Complex for the processing of construction and solid domestic waste will be completed, in addition, the construction of the Industrial construction and operational bases will be completed No. 1 and No. 2, meteorological complex, roads and railways. All of these facilities were not completed by the previous contractor.

In order to form ballistic conditions before the launch of the Soyuz MS-17 manned transport vehicle, the orbit of the International Space Station is scheduled to be corrected on July 29, 2020.

The State Corporation Roskosmos has summed up the results of the launch campaign of the Progress MS-15 cargo vehicle, which was successfully launched under the International Space Station (ISS) program on Thursday, July 23, 2020.

According to the ISS flight program Progress MS-15 cargo vehicle was launched by Soyuz-2.1a  from pad #31 of Baikonur launchsite on July 23, 2020 , at 17.26.21, Moscow time.

The crew of the 64th long-term expedition to the International Space Station will undergo joint training at the Cosmonaut Training Center in preparation for the flight, which is scheduled to begin in October this year. The ISS-64 crew includes Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergei Ryzhikov, Sergei Kud-Sverchkov and NASA astronaut Kathleen Rubins. The backup crew includes Roscosmos cosmonauts Oleg Novitsky and Pyotr Dubrov, NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hai.

This Monday Soyuz-2.1 booster with Progress MS-15 was rolled out from the integration building and installed on the launchpad of Baikonur launchsite, - Roscosmos representative reported.

Preparation works for Progress MS-15 cargo vehicle launch are under way at Baikonur. In accordance with the schedule RSC Energia and specialists of some other space industries accomplished a complex of operations to joint Progress MS-vehicle with adapter module of booster’s third stage.

45 years ago, on July 15, 1975, the first joint space flight of representatives of different countries started in the history of mankind. The start of the Soyuz Apollon pilot project was laid on October 26-27, 1970. At this time, Moscow hosted the first meeting of Soviet and American experts on the compatibility of the means of approaching and docking of manned spacecraft.

Progress MS-15 cargo vehicle to be launched to the ISS on July 23 apart from the standard set of food products will deliver to the station some compotes and fish courses. Progress will also provide the cosmonauts with traditional stock of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Russian manned vehicle Soyuz will be launched to the ISS according to 6-hours docking scheme. The newest one, 3-hours scheme won’t be applied this time, Roscosmos press-office representative stated.