Preparations for the ISS-70/71 expedition, which starts on September 15, are coming to an end. The main and backup crews will soon go to the Baikonur Cosmodrome to complete pre-launch preparations, reports “MIR 24”.
On the eve of their departure into space, the cosmonauts were traditionally seen off by relatives and friends. The expedition commander, five-time participant in space flights Hero of Turkmenistan, instructor-test cosmonaut, commander of the cosmonaut corps of the State Space Corporation “Roscosmos” Oleg Kononenko spent the last days with his family.
Expedition ISS-70/71 promises to be eventful. According to Oleg Kononenko, more than 60 scientific experiments are planned, including 7 new ones. 4 spacewalks are expected.
On the eve of the launch, the astronauts passed all the necessary exams. Although the preparation was intense, they passed all the tests with excellent marks.
The delay in sending the expedition for six months affected the mood of the crew. However, now, according to Kononenko, all cosmonauts are energized and ready to start working in orbit.
In the coming days, the crews of the ISS-70/71 will be trained directly at the Baikonur Cosmodrome. The launch of the “Soyuz MS-24” manned spacecraft is scheduled for September 15.