Space Stations

The Soyuz MS-20 spacecraft approaching the International Space Station (Image NASA TV)

0

A little while ago, the Soyuz MS-20 spacecraft reached the International Space Station. It blasted off about six hours earlier from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, with three people on board. It’s a mission totally oriented towards space tourism set up by the private company Space Adventures in a deal with the Russian space agency Roscosmos. For this reason, the Soyuz MS-20 will return to Earth on December 20.

Generally, Soyuz spacecraft carry International Space Station crew members on their rotation. In this case, the mission is very special because cosmonaut Alexander Misurkin traveled together with Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa and Yozo Hirano, who will be in charge of documenting this tourist mission.

The Prichal module docked with the International Space Station (Image NASA TV)

0

Yesterday, the Russian Prichal module, also known as Uzlovoy Module (UM), docked with the International Space Station’s Nauka/MLM module becoming part of the Russian section. Prichal was launched on November 24 and flown to the Station by a modified Progress cargo spacecraft. Once the task to make it fully operational is completed, it will provide five more docking hatches.

The Prichal module blasting off atop a Soyuz 2.1b rocket (Photo courtesy RSC Energia)

0

Yesterday, the Russian Prichal module, also known as Uzlovoy Module (UL), was launched atop a Soyuz 2.1b rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan. After a little more than nine minutes, it successfully separated from the rocket’s last stage and set off on its course. Its journey will take just over two days to reach the International Space Station, on November 26, where it will become part of the Russian section many years behind schedule. Prichal will be driven to its destination by a modified Progress cargo spacecraft.

The Crew Dragon Endurance spacecraft approaching the International Space Station (Image NASA TV)

0

A few hours ago, SpaceX’s Crew Dragon Endurance spacecraft docked to the International Space Station’s Harmony module completing the first part of its Crew-3 or SpaceX Crew-3 mission that began yesterday with its launch. After checking that the pressure is correctly balanced, the hatch will be opened to allow Raja Chari, Thomas Mashburn, Matthias Maurer, and Kayla Barron to enter the Station. The Endurance reached the Station about 40 minutes earlier than the original schedule.