October 2, 2019
Categories: ISS

Expeditions EP-19 and ISS-60 are completing work at the International Space Station.

The crew of the “Soyuz MS-12” spacecraft (cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin, astronaut Nick Hague and space flight participant from the UAE Hazza Al Mansouri) are preparing to return to Earth.

Today, on October 2, 2019, the commander of the 60th expedition, cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin, who has led it since June 2019, and the commander of the 61st expedition, astronaut Luca Parmitano, signed an act of delegation of authority.

The process of transferring a “shift” at the station is a formal ceremony of signing the relevant documents by two commanders.

At the same time, the expedition number changes – in this case, from 60 to 61.

The crew celebrating the change of “power” in a specific way – it rings the bell, located on the American segment.

The astronaut of the European Space Agency will lead the multinational team of the 61st expedition until his return to Earth, which is scheduled for February 2020. On his current mission Luca Parmitano set off on July 20, 2019 on a spacecraft “Soyuz MS-13”.

Currently, in accordance with the flight plan, Alexey Ovchinin, Nick Hague and Hazza Al Mansouri are engaged in preparations for landing.

In the descent vehicle the crew will bring with them the equipment and cases to be returned with the results of scientific experiments.

Closing of the access hatches between the “Soyuz MS-12” spacecraft and the ISS is planned at 07:20 (Moscow time) on October 3, undocking at 10:37 (Moscow time) and landing of the descent vehicle at 14:00 (Moscow time) 147 km south-east of Zhezkazgan (Kazakhstan ) All operations will be broadcast live in the “Online Broadcasts” section of the Roscosmos State Corporation website www.roscosmos.ru

The length of stay in space flight of two crew members – Alexey Ovchinin and Nick Hague will be 203 days (the launch into orbit of the ship took place on March 14, 2019).

Hazza Al Mansouri, a member of the EP-19 visiting expedition, arrived at the International Space Station on the “Soyuz MS-15” spacecraft, which was launched on September 25, 2019.

The duration of his stay in flight will be 8 days.

More from this category:
September 26, 2014

At 06:11, Moscow time, on September 26 Soyuz TMA-14M spacecraft launched from Baikonur spaceport at 00:25, Moscow time, successfully docked with the ISS. Soyuz TMA-14M…

full story
May 19, 2015

Russian billionaire Filaret Galtchev Eurocement Group beneficiary may go to the International Space Station as space tourist. Galchev is willing to take vacant seat in…

full story
November 20, 2013

The International Space Station is a stronghold of the mankind on the orbit. It goes round the Earth 16 times a day at the height…

full story
December 1, 2015

Russian state operator Satellite Communications Company put Express-AM8 into operation. “Upon completion of orbital testing Russian telecommunication satellite Express-AM8 was put into operation on December…

full story
March 12, 2014

The full name of the experiment is as follows “Determination of functional capabilities, physical working capacity level and state of main physiological systems of cosmonaut’s…

full story
September 7, 2016

Aspokesman to the Mission Control Center reported that the Soyuz TMA-20M space vehicle’s reentry capsule with three crewmembers of the International Space Station has successfully…

full story
February 9, 2021

Prelaunch preparations of the Progress MS-16 cargo spacecraft for the launch under the program of the 77th resupply mission to the International Space Station continue…

full story
June 18, 2014

On June 16 NASA astronaut Kathleen Rubins was officially introduced to GCTC specialists and authorities. The astronaut was appointed to the position of ISS-48/49 flight…

full story