Soyuz-FG booster was installed on the launch pad #1 (Gagarin launchpad). On September 26,2013 the booster will orbit SoyuzTMA-10M spacecraft with 37/38 ISS mission crew members onboard. The crew consists of Russian cosmonauts Oleg Kotov, Sergey Ryazansky and NASA astronaut Michael Hopkins.
The roll-out and installation of Soyuz-FG booster were carried out in strict conformity with Baikonur works plan.
Railmotor car with the booster left for #1 launchpad at 07.00 local time. Upon delivery of the booster, the works on its installation and filling started.
According to the tradition the back-up crew watched these procedures. Today apart from ISS 37/38 back-up crew (Alexander Skvortsov, Oleg Artemyev and Stephen Swanson) cosmonauts’ family members, Space agencies and space industry representatives and journalists also came to observe the roll-out despite the strong wind.
Today is considered to be “Pulsars” first launch day.
Image credit – Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center
