All news

Date of launching Soyuz MS space vehicle to ISS may be named June 6 — source

The launch may take place at 04:35 on July 7 Moscow time, while the Soyuz TMA-19M spacecraft, currently docked to the ISS, will return to the Earth on July 2

MOSCOW, June 2. /TASS/. The government commission of the state-run corporation Roscosmos may make a final decision regarding the date of launching the manned spacecraft Soyuz MS to the International Space Station on Monday, June 6, a source in the space rocket industry has told TASS.

"The specialists of the spacecraft’s manufacturer - corporation Energia - have three days to do away with the problems that postponed the launch originally scheduled for June 24," the source said.

The government commission will meet in session on June 6 to decide when to go ahead with the launch of the Soyuz spacecraft. If the glitch is eliminated within days, the launch will be carried out on June 24, as it was originally expected.

Another source in the industry told TASS that a decision has in fact already been made and the government commission is expected to merely authorize it. The launch may take place at 04:35 on July 7 Moscow time, while the Soyuz TMA-19M spacecraft, currently docked to the ISS, will return to the Earth on July 2.

TASS has no official confirmation of this.

Earlier, a source in the industry told TASS that specialists had advised to move the launch of the Soyuz MS vehicle from June 24 to July 7 due to likely disruptions in the control system that might cause problems while docking the new series spacecraft to the ISS. If the launch of the Soyuz is postponed, the cargo spacecraft Progress MS, due to blast off on July 7 will have to be put in space later, on July 17.

On Wednesday, the Roscosmos corporation denied all rumors the beginning of the Soyuz MS mission might be delayed.

Tags