On July 14 at 19:48 Kazakhstan time, the Soyuz-2.1a launch vehicle with the piloted Soyuz MS-29 spacecraft is scheduled to launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome to the International Space Station (ISS). This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Kursiv Media.
According to Roscosmos, the main crew of the 75th long-term expedition includes Russian cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina, as well as NASA astronaut Anil Menon. Pyotr Dubrov has been appointed spacecraft commander.
The backup crew consists of cosmonauts Dmitry Petelin, Konstantin Borisov, and NASA astronaut Denise Burnham.
For Dubrov, this upcoming mission will be his second in his career. During his first flight, he spent more than 355 days in orbit and performed four spacewalks.
Anna Kikina will also go to the ISS for the second time. In 2022, she flew on the American Crew Dragon spacecraft as part of the Crew-5 mission. The new launch will be historic for her: Kikina will become the first Russian female cosmonaut to have been in space on both the American Crew Dragon and the Russian Soyuz.
For American astronaut Anil Menon, this expedition will be his first. His participation is organized under the cross-flight program between Roscosmos and NASA.
Earlier, the Soyuz-2.1a rocket with the Soyuz MS-29 spacecraft was moved from the assembly and test building and installed vertically at the launch complex of site No. 31 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome. Currently, specialists are completing pre-launch checks of all onboard systems.
The new expedition is expected to spend 261 days aboard the International Space Station. The launch will be performed by a three-stage medium-class Soyuz-2.1a launch vehicle, equipped with a modern Russian digital control system and designed to launch manned and cargo spacecraft into orbit.
Dubrov's first flight lasted over 355 days, with four spacewalks. Kikina's second flight will see her on Soyuz after Crew Dragon. Menon makes his first spaceflight. The backup crew is ready.