At the Baikonur Cosmodrome the pre-launch processing of manned transportation spacecraft Soyuz MS-21 for flight under the program of the ISS-66/67 Expedition to the International Space Station is proceeding to completion.

As per schedule, designer’s inspection and final checkout of Soyuz MS-21 took place at its worksite in the integration and test facility of Site 254. After that, specialists from S.P.Korolev RSC Energia performed a sequence of operations to roll on the payload fairing and prepared the integrated ascent unit for the upcoming launch readiness check, as well as completed loading of more than 150 kg of additional cargo in the descent module of the vehicle. Soyuz MS-21 shall deliver sanitary and hygienic supplies and biomedical experiment materials, flight data files and hardware consumables, clothing items and personal items, as well as fresh produce and standard food rations for the ISS crew.

The prime crew of Soyuz MS-21 consists of commander Оleg Аrtemiev and flight engineers Denis Мatveev and Sergei Korsakov. Their backups are Sergei Prokopiev, Dmitri Petelin and Anna Kikina. The launch of Soyuz-2.1a launch vehicle carrying Soyuz-MS-21 dedicated to the memory of the founder of practical cosmonautics, academician Sergei Pavlovich Korolev is planned for March 18, 2022.