On May 21, 2018, on the territory of the test training complex (17th site) of the Baikonur complex, at the flag-raising ceremony of the countries, participating in the launch of the Soyuz MS-09
transport manned spacecraft, the final phase of preflight preparation of crews was officially launched .

Cosmonauts and astronauts of the main and backup crews Sergei Prokopiev, Oleg Kononenko, Alexander Gerst, Serena Aunon-Chancellor, Anne Macclein and David Saint-Jacques lifted the flags of Russia,
Germany, the USA and Kazakhstan.

After the ceremony, the backup crew – Oleg Kononenko, Anne Macclein and David Saint – Jacques made a tour of the city of Baikonur, traditionally laid flowers at the monument to the first cosmonaut of
the planet Yuri Gagarin and the bust of the great scientist and designer Sergei Korolyov, inspected the exposition of the History Museum of the Baikonur cosmodrome and joined to the traditions of
Kazakhstan, dressed in folk costumes.

In the remaining days before the launch of the Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft, the cosmonauts and astronauts will study the on-board documentation of the Russian segment of the ISS, the flight program and
ballistics of the “Soyuz MS-09″ spacecraft, will conduct manual docking training, learn to work with the new communication and direction finding system “Rassvet-3BM”, will be briefed on safety and
emergency procedures, etc.

In addition to theoretical and practical training, the crews will have daily physical training, medical examinations and work to prepare for the factors of space flight.

The launch of the manned spacecraft Soyuz MS-09 is scheduled for June 6, 2018 at 14:12:41 Moscow time from the site number 1 (Gagarin start) of the Baikonur cosmodrome.