The Soyuz MS-27 manned spacecraft has been successfully refueled with fuel and compressed gases.
After the refueling operations were completed, the spacecraft was delivered to the assembly and test facility of Site 254 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, where it was installed at its workstation for the next stages of preparation.
These include loading cargo, checking the hatches for leaks, installing screen-vacuum thermal insulation on the surface of the compartments, weighing the spacecraft, and docking it with the launch vehicle's adapter section.
The launch of Soyuz MS-27 to the International Space Station is scheduled for April 8, 2025. The main crew of the 73rd long-duration expedition includes Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergei Ryzhikov and Alexei Zubritsky, as well as NASA astronaut Jonathan Kim. The backup crew consists of Sergei Kud-Sverchkov, Sergei Mikaev, and NASA astronaut Loral O'Hara.
The launch of the Soyuz-2.1a launch vehicle with the Soyuz MS-27 spacecraft is timed to coincide with the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War. In this regard, the rocket received the symbolic name "Victory Rocket." An angel figurine with a pipe, similar to the one installed on the roof of the Optina Pustyn monastery, will be used as a zero-gravity indicator on board the spacecraft.
As part of the preparations for the upcoming launch, Roscosmos specialists adjusted the orbit of the International Space Station using the propulsion system of the Progress MS-30 cargo spacecraft. This measure was taken to ensure optimal conditions for the docking of Soyuz MS-27 with the ISS and the subsequent return of the Soyuz MS-26 spacecraft in April.
Launch preparations are continuing according to schedule, ensuring the readiness of all systems and the crew for the upcoming mission.
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The crew of the Soyuz MS-27 spacecraft is training at Baikonur: the first fitting of spacesuits