“Union” with the new ISS crew launched from Baikonur – RIA Novosti

BAIKONUR (Kazakhstan), March 19 – RIA Novosti Carrier rocket “Soyuz-FG” with manned spacecraft “TMA-20M Soyuz”, carrying the new crew of the International Space Station (ISS. ), was launched from Baikonur, RIA news from the first launch pad Baikonur

On board the spacecraft has the logo -. stylized image of the first cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin in the headset. On board the “Union” also flaunts his famous phrase: “Let’s go!” and numbers “1961-2016″ in honor of the 55th anniversary of the flight.

Department of spacecraft from the third stage of the launch vehicle to be held in 00.35 MSK.

The new crew, flying to the ISS, initially it was to fly into orbit on a ship of the new series “MS-01 Alliance”, but for reasons beyond the control of the astronauts, they went to the station at the last in the history of the ship type “Soyuz TMA-20M”. In orbit, the ship should be delivered by Alexei Ovchinin, Oleg Skripochka (Roskosmos) and NASA astronaut Jeffrey Williams. The planned duration of the expedition will be 173 days.

Joining the “Union” with the ISS is scheduled in six hours after the start in 06.12 MSK in the automatic mode.

At the station Ovchinin, fiddle and Williams expect Timothy copra (US NASA), Timothy Peak (United Kingdom, ESA) and Yuri Malenchenko (Russia, Roscosmos). In the course of a new expedition to the ISS will be implemented medical, biological, biotechnological programs, as well as the shooting of the Earth and life on the ISS for educational purposes. At the time of a new expedition to the station is planned for more than 50 scientific experiments.