A Soyuz spacecraft, adorned to commemorate the 80th anniversary of World War II’s conclusion, departed from Kazakhstan’s Baikonur Cosmodrome on Tuesday, transporting an American and two Russians to the International Space Station.
The MS-27 vessel lifted off at 10.47 am local time (0547 GMT), with Russian Roscosmos space agency broadcasting the launch. The spacecraft achieved orbit shortly after and was scheduled to connect with the ISS’s Russian segment at 0904 GMT.
The crew comprised Russian cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky, alongside Nasa astronaut Jonny Kim. Their mission includes conducting 50 scientific studies in space before their scheduled December 9 return.
Roscosmos reported that approximately 2,500 tourists witnessed the launch at Baikonur, where Russia maintains a lease agreement with Kazakhstan dating back to the Soviet Union’s dissolution 43 years ago. The arrangement costs Moscow $115 million annually, with the contract extending to 2050.
Space collaboration remains one of the few active partnerships between Russia and the United States, despite their relationship suffering after Russian forces entered Ukraine in February 2022. Recent developments, including Donald Trump’s return to the White House, have led to reduced tensions.
Western nations halted their Roscosmos partnerships following Russia’s invasion, though Soyuz vessels continue to serve as crucial transport to the ISS. Russia’s space programme, historically a national source of pride, faces ongoing challenges including insufficient funding, corruption issues, and setbacks like the Luna-25 lunar probe failure in August 2023.
