On December 7, 2020 at 18:40 UTC, the private U.S. unmanned supply spacecraft, the "Dragon” SpX-21 (CRS-21 flight), was successfully docked to the International Space Station. It was the new generation of Dragon cargo spacecraft also known SpaceX Dragon 2 or Cargo Dragon 2. The Cargo Dragon capsule is the first spacecraft to dock to the zenith port of the US “Harmony” module. It was the first SpaceX cargo vehicle that automatically docked to the space station without being captured by the Canadarm. This docking marked the 21^st time a Dragon spaceship has reache ... Read more »

On December 6, 2020 at 16:17 UTC the "Falcon 9” rocket-carrier was launched from LC-39A of the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, USA. The launch was performed by the "SpaceX” private company supported by the 45th Space Wing of US Air Force. US private company SpaceX launched its "Dragon” (CRS-21 flight also known as SpX-21) unmanned spacecraft on a cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station. CRS means Commercial Resupply Services. It is the 22^nd successful flight of a “Dragon” spacecraft and the 21^st successful flight of a “Dragon” cargo spacecraft to the ISS. It was the first flight for SpaceX under NASA's CRS Phase 2 contract awarded in January 2016. ... Read more »

On November 18, 2020, Russian cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Sergey Kud-Sverchkov performed the extra vehicle activities (EVA – spacewalk). The spacewalkers used the “Poisk” docking compartment as an airlock for the first time to begin preparing the nearly identical Russian “Pirs” module for removal next year. A new laboratory module will be docked in its place later. The “Poisk” module was launched almost exactly 11 years ago, on November 10, 2009, and was attached to the “Zvezda” module’s upper port two days later. It has been used as a docking port for unpiloted “Progress” cargo space vehicles and “Soyuz” crew ferry spaceships many times but never as an airlock. The EVA lasted 6 hours and 47 minutes. It was the 41st EVA for both ... Read more »

On November 17, 2020 at 04:00 UTC the US Crew Dragon “Resilience” (Crew-1 mission) spacecraft docked with a docking adapter on the “Harmony” module of the International Space Station. The mission also known as USCV-1 (US Crew Vehicle 1). The spacecraft delivered American astronauts Michael Hopkins, Victor Glover and Shannon Walker as well as Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi to the ISS.

Phot ... Read more »

On November 16, 2020 at 00:27 UTC the American SpaceX’s Crew Dragon “Resilience” (Crew-1 mission) spacecraft was launched from Kennedy Space Center (LC39A), Florida, USA. The mission also known as USCV-1 (US Crew Vehicle 1). The space vehicle was orbited by the “Falcon-9” rocket-carrier. The spacecraft is piloted by 4 astronauts – spacecraft commander American astronaut Michael Hopkins; pilot, American astronaut, Victor Glover; mission specialist 1, American astronaut, Shannon Walker; mission specialist 2, Japanese astronaut, Soichi Noguchi.

... Read more »

Soyuz MS-17 launch cover. The cover was autographed by the “Soyuz MS-17” crew: Commander, Russian cosmonaut Sergey Ryzhikov, Russian cosmonaut Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and American astronaut Kathleen Rubins.

On October 22, 2020 at 02:54 UTC the Russian “Soyuz MS-16” landing capsule landed safely in Kazakhstan, 150 km at the southeast of the town of Dzhezkazgan.

The spacecraft delivered to Earth the 3 members of ISS’s Expedition 63 – Russian cosmonauts Anatoli Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner as well as American astronaut Christopher Cassidy. They spent in space 195 days, 18 hours and 49 minutes. Three other ISS crew members – Russian cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhi ... Read more »

On October 22, 2020 at 02:32 Moscow time the Russian “Soyuz MS-16” spacecraft undocked from the International Space Station to deliver to Earth the 3 members of Expedition 63 – Russian cosmonauts Anatoli Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner as well as American astronaut Christopher Cassidy.

On October 14, 2020 at 08:48 UTC, the Russian "Soyuz MS-17” spacecraft docked with the Russian “Rassvet” module of the International Space Station. The Soyuz spacecraft completed fastest-ever trip to the International Space Station performed by a piloted space vehicle - 3 hours, 3 minutes and 43 seconds between the lift-off and the docking. The spacecraft delivered 3 members of Expedition 64 to the ISS, Russian cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Sergey Kud-Sverchkov as well as American astronaut Kathleen Rubins. The new comers joined current ISS Expedition 63 members – Russia ... Read more »

On October 14, 2020 at 05:45 UTC the Russian “Soyuz MS-17” spacecraft was launched from Baykonur Cosmodrome. The space vehicle was orbited by the Russian “Soyuz-2.1a” rocket-carrier. The spacecraft is piloted by 3 cosmonauts: Commander, Russian cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov (center) and Sergey Kud-Sverchkov (right) as well as American astronaut Kathleen Rubins (left).

Photo by Russian Cosmonaut training center.

... Read more »