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.

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.

The first launch of reusable Amur booster with methane-powered engine is planned for 2026, Roscosmos reported. Reusability is the major current trend in space industry and rocket engineering aimed first of all to decrease the costs.  

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.

Last week, eight future cosmonauts, together with the test-training brigade of the Yu.A. Gagarin returned to Star City, completing the second stage of special parachute training (SPPK) on the basis of the Menzelinsky branch of the autonomous non-profit organization Central Aero Club of the Republic of Tatarstan DOSAAF of Russia.