September 20, 2016

Russia informed NASA colleagues about the new possible date of Soyuz MS-02 launch. It will be November 01, 2016, instead of September 23, 2016.
“The Russian party informed NASA Headquarters about Soyuz MS-02 launch preliminarily scheduled for November 01”, – NASA public affairs coordinator in MCC Alexander Koptev stated.
However he pointed out that this is just a preliminary date and the final decision is to be taken by Roscosmos.
“Besides new Proress cargo vehicle launch dates and crew’ landing dates are to be announced but at the present time we cannot do that”, – he specified.
Additional testing of Soyuz conducted at Baikonur hasn’t revealed any more short circuits but the opinions on the new launch date divide.
“Thorough multilevel testing hasn’t revealed repeated short circuit in spacecraft line. Some experts consider the launch possible. Other specialists insist on additional testing or spacecraft replacement proving that crew’s safety is of first priority. Stat Commission is to analyze pros and cons and set the new date. The final decision may be taken today or tomorrow.
Both prime and back-up crews have already come back from Baikonur by two charter flights since the testing in the integration building in Baikonur had revealed short circuit in Soyuz MS-02 lines.

More from this category:
May 30, 2019

The commander of the International Space Station, Oleg Kononenko, and flight engineer Alexey Ovchinin completed the first spacewalk in 2019 under the Russian program, having…

full story
June 21, 2016

Hero of Russian Federation Cosmonaut Gennady Padalka who has taken part in 5 space missions celebrates his Birthday today, on June 21. His first spaceflight…

full story
December 2, 2014

Testings of new Russian ecologically friendly booster of Angara series will be finished at Plesetsk spaceport in 2020, – Russian Aerospace Defence Troops commander Lieutenant…

full story
August 22, 2019

On August 22, 2019 at 06:38:32 (Moscow time) the “Soyuz-2.1a” launch vehicle with the “Soyuz MS-14” spacecraft was successfully launched from the launch pad of…

full story
April 8, 2014

Roscosmos doesn’t elaborate any measures to give a response to NASA, – Roscosmos Head Deputy Denis Lykov stated. We do not see any ground for…

full story
January 29, 2015

According to the decision taken by State Commission Proton-M booster with Briz-M upper stage and Inmarsat-5F2 (Great Britain)  telecommunication space device was rolled out to…

full story
July 3, 2013

MOSCOW, July 2 – RIA-NOVOSTI. Proton-M with GLONASS satellites launch failure most likely won’t affect Russia’s position on the world space launches market , – space…

full story
August 21, 2014

According to the ordiring party’s request the launch of Soyuz-ST-B booster with Fregat-M upper stage and two European Galileo FOC space devices from Guiana Space…

full story