Soyuz successfully launches three astronauts to ISS
The Russians early today successfully launched three astronauts into orbit, using their Soyuz-2 rocket and Soyuz capsule.
The crew, heading to ISS, is two Russians and one American, with the American the last purchased seat bought by NASA on a Soyuz. Unless they sign a new deal with Russia, the next Americans to go to ISS must fly on American capsules.
The leaders in the 2020 launch race:
6 China
5 SpaceX
5 Russia
2 Europe
2 ULA
The U.S. continues to lead China 9 to 6 in the national rankings.
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The Russians early today successfully launched three astronauts into orbit, using their Soyuz-2 rocket and Soyuz capsule.
The crew, heading to ISS, is two Russians and one American, with the American the last purchased seat bought by NASA on a Soyuz. Unless they sign a new deal with Russia, the next Americans to go to ISS must fly on American capsules.
The leaders in the 2020 launch race:
6 China
5 SpaceX
5 Russia
2 Europe
2 ULA
The U.S. continues to lead China 9 to 6 in the national rankings.
The support of my readers through the years has given me the freedom and ability to analyze objectively the ongoing renaissance in space, as well as the cultural changes -- for good or ill -- that are happening across America. Four years ago, just before the 2020 election I wrote that Joe Biden's mental health was suspect. Only in this year has the propaganda mainstream media decided to recognize that basic fact.
Fourteen years ago I wrote that SLS and Orion were a bad ideas, a waste of money, would be years behind schedule, and better replaced by commercial private enterprise. Even today NASA and Congress refuse to recognize this reality.
In 2020 when the world panicked over COVID I wrote that the panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Only in the past year have some of our so-called experts in the health field have begun to recognize these facts.
Your help allows me to do this kind of intelligent analysis. I take no advertising or sponsors, so my reporting isn't influenced by donations by established space or drug companies. Instead, I rely entirely on donations and subscriptions from my readers, which gives me the freedom to write what I think, unencumbered by outside influences.
Please consider supporting my work here at Behind the Black.
You can support me either by giving a one-time contribution or a regular subscription. There are five ways of doing so:
1. Zelle: This is the only internet method that charges no fees. All you have to do is use the Zelle link at your internet bank and give my name and email address (zimmerman at nasw dot org). What you donate is what I get.
2. Patreon: Go to my website there and pick one of five monthly subscription amounts, or by making a one-time donation.
3. A Paypal Donation:
5. Donate by check, payable to Robert Zimmerman and mailed to
Behind The Black
c/o Robert Zimmerman
P.O.Box 1262
Cortaro, AZ 85652
You can also support me by buying one of my books, as noted in the boxes interspersed throughout the webpage or shown in the menu above. And if you buy the books through the ebookit links, I get a larger cut and I get it sooner.
Fun Fact: I didn’t know until now that there’s a movie that’s required viewing for anyone launching on a Soyuz:
https://arstechnica.com/science/2020/04/i-was-bored-so-i-watched-the-movie-that-astronauts-must-view-before-launch/
Apparently the movie was watched by the crew of the Soyuz 12, who were returning to flight after the disaster of Soyuz 11. It’s now considered good luck to watch before any flight.
Vedemosti is reporting that NASA is expected to sign a contract for one seat each on MS-17 and MS-18: https://www.vedomosti.ru/politics/articles/2020/02/16/823140-v
The astronaut listed for MS-17 is Stephen Bowen.
I’ve yet to see any confirmation from NASA sources, however; so take it for what it’s worth. It could be that with Starliner kicked back to next year, they don’t want to take any chances.
Of course if that happens, and USCV-1 goes off as scheduled, that means that, come October, there would be 4 US astronauts, 1 JAXA astronaut, and 2 Russian cosmonauts on the ISS.