Why Did Expedition 69 Choose a Soyuz Flight to Reach the International Space Station?
On Monday, November 22, three space travelers from Expedition 69 will be launching in a Russian Soyuz MS-19 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan to embark on a six-month mission to the International Space Station (ISS).
What to Expect on the Soyuz Ride
Launching from Earth and arriving at the ISS are two different things. The Soyuz spacecraft must undergo several manual maneuvers, including catching up with the space station, matching its speed and docking, and entry into the station’s atmosphere.
The Expedition 69 team has undergone extensive training on all aspects of the Soyuz spacecraft to prepare for a smooth ride around the space station and to control the spacecraft in case of any emergency scenarios.
The upcoming Soyuz ride will be the first for astronaut Mark Vande Hei and Soyuz commander Anton Shkaplerov. However, Russian actress Yulia Peresild, who will be accompanying them, has no spaceflight experience. She has undergone rigorous training at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia.
What’s Planned for the Space Station Mission?
The Expedition 69 team will be part of an international crew onboard the ISS, working on various scientific research projects, including microgravity physics, human biology, and biotechnology. They will collaborate with research facilities and institutions worldwide to conduct their mission successfully.
The Expedition 69 team will have a busy schedule, responsible for numerous maintenance tasks and repairs on the ISS. They will also need to stay physically fit and conditioned and communicate with the mission control center on Earth daily.
The Takeaway
The Expedition 69 team is ready to take on the Soyuz ride around the space station. With extensive training and preparation, they are confident about their mission’s success. Over the next six months, they will be busy with scientific discoveries, testing new technologies, and maintaining the ISS’s functionality.
We wish the team good luck on their mission and hope for their safe return.