A Russian cosmonaut has rocketed from the U.S. for the first time in 20 years, catching a trip with SpaceX
A Russian cosmonaut has rocketed from the U.S. for the first time in 20 years, catching a trip with SpaceX
For the first time in 20 years, a Russian cosmonaut rocketed from the U.S. on October 5, launching to the International Space Station alongside NASA and Japanese astronauts regardless of tensions over the battle in Ukraine.
“We’re so glad to do it collectively,” said Anna Kikina, Russia’s lone female cosmonaut, offering thanks in both English and Russian. “Spasibo!”
She was among the three newcomers on the flight, alongside Marine Col. Nicole Mann, the first Native American woman to orbit the world, and Navy Capt. Josh Cassada. They were joined by Japan Space Agency’s Koichi Wakata, who is making his fifth spaceflight.
“Awesome!” radioed Ms. Mann. “That was a clean trip uphill. You’ve received three rookies who’re fairly completely happy to be floating in space proper now.”
They’re due to arrive on the space station Thursday, 29 hours after departing from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, and received’t be again on Earth till March. They’re changing a U.S.-Italian crew that arrived in April.
Their SpaceX flight was delayed by Hurricane Ian, which devastated components of the state final week. The climate was splendid because the Falcon rocket blasted into a superb noontime sky.
“I hope with this launch we will brighten up the skies over Florida a little bit for everyone,” Mr. Wakata mentioned earlier than the flight.
Ms. Kikina is the Russian Space Agency’s trade for NASA’s Frank Rubio, who launched to the space station two weeks in the past from Kazakhstan aboard a Soyuz rocket. He flew up with two cosmonauts.
The space companies agreed over the summer time to swap seats on their flights in order to guarantee a steady U.S. and Russian presence aboard the 260-mile-high (420-kilometer-high) outpost. The barter was licensed whilst international hostilities mounted over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in late February. The subsequent crew trade is in the spring.
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson mentioned the important thing motive for the seat trade is security — in case an emergency forces one capsule’s crew dwelling, there would nonetheless be an American and Russian on board.
In the meantime, Russia stays dedicated to the space station by no less than 2024, Russia space official Sergei Krikalev assured reporters after liftoff. Russia needs to construct its personal station in orbit later this decade, however he mentioned that can take time and till it is prepared, it is smart to maintain working with NASA.
Mr. Krikalev, a former cosmonaut who was the first to launch on a U.S. rocket, famous that the 2 international locations are at a brand new section of space cooperation that started with the Apollo-Soyuz orbital linkup in 1975. NASA’s commander for that mission, Thomas Stafford, attended (*20*) launch.
“I hope we will cooperate together the way it was started in 1975,” mentioned Mr. Krikalev, whereas acknowledging he is making an attempt to quell any friction between the 2 space companies.
NASA began flying cosmonauts on its space shuttles in 1994, first to Russia’s Mir space station after which to the fledgling space station. The 2003 Columbia reentry catastrophe put an finish to it. But U.S. astronauts continued to hitch rides on Russian rockets for tens of hundreds of thousands of {dollars} per seat.
Ms. Kakina is barely the fifth Russian lady to rocket off the planet. She mentioned she was shocked to be chosen for the seat swap after encountering “many tests and obstacles” throughout her decade of coaching. “But I did it. I’m lucky maybe. I’m strong,” she mentioned.
Ms. Mann, a member of the Wailacki of the Round Valley Indian Tribes in California, took alongside her mom’s dream catcher, a small conventional webbed hoop believed to provide safety. Retired NASA astronaut John Herrington of the Chickasaw Nation grew to become the first Native American in space in 2002.
“I am very proud to represent Native Americans and my heritage,” Mann mentioned earlier than the flight, including that everybody on her crew has a singular background. “It’s important to celebrate our diversity and also realize how important it is when we collaborate and unite, the incredible accomplishments that we can have.”
As for the battle in Ukraine, Ms. Mann mentioned all 4 have put politics and private beliefs apart, “and it’s really cool how the common mission of the space station just instantly unites us.”
Added Cassada: “We have a possibility to be an instance for society on how to work collectively and stay collectively and discover collectively.”
Elon Musk’s SpaceX has now launched eight crews since 2020: six for NASA and two non-public teams. Boeing, NASA’s different contracted taxi service, plans to make its first astronaut flight early subsequent yr, after delays to repair software program and different points that cropped up on check flights.
