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Russia’s Soyuz MS-17 spacecraft undocks from ISS

At approximately 07:01 Moscow time, Soyuz MS-17 will start to perform a retrograde burn

MOSCOW, April 17. /TASS/. Russia’s Soyuz MS-17 spacecraft with cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Sergey Kud-Sverchkov, as well as US astronaut Kathleen Rubins on board, undocked from the International Space Station (ISS) on Saturday, according to a live broadcast by Russia’s space corporation Roscosmos.

At approximately 07:01 Moscow time, Soyuz MS-17 will start to perform a retrograde burn. Shortly after, unoccupied modules will separate from the spacecraft and burn in dense layers of the atmosphere.

When the landing capsule enters the atmosphere, aeroballistic deceleration will begin. As a result, a cloud of plasma with the temperature of about 2,000 degrees Centigrade will be formed around the vehicle, making any contact with the crew impossible for several minutes.

Further deceleration will occur with the help of parachutes, with the main one expected to be deployed at 07:41 Moscow time. Soft landing engines will turn on at the altitude of less than one meter. The landing is expected to take place 147 km southeast of Kazakhstan’s city of Zhezqazghan.