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Mission Control Center ready to launch the Yuri Gagarin spacecraft on April 9

The TsNIIMash Mission Control Center (MCC, part of Roscosmos) has completed planned works to prepare for the launch of the Yuri Gagarin (Soyuz MS-18) crewed spacecraft and its subsequent docking with the Russian segment of the International Space Station. In accordance with the calculations of the ballistic and navigation support service of the MCC, the launch is scheduled for April 9 at 07:42:41 UTC.

Specialists of the Chief Operational Control Group of the Russian Segment of the ISS (Rocket and Space Corporation Energia, part of Roscosmos) will take control over the spacecraft flight after its separation from the third stage of the carrier. The estimated time of insertion into the target orbit is 07:51:30 UTC. The launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome will be broadcast on Roscosmos website and social network accounts starting from 06:00 UTC.

The prime crew includes Roscosmos cosmonauts Oleg Novitsky, Pyotr Dubrov and NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei. The backup crew: Roscosmos cosmonauts Anton Shkaplerov, Oleg Artemyev and NASA astronaut Anne McClain. Currently, on board the International Space Station are the crew of the 64th long-term expedition, consisting of Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Sergey Kud-Sverchkov, as well as NASA astronauts Kathleen Rubins, Michael Hopkins, Victor Glover, Shannon Walker, and JAXA astronaut Soichi Noguchi.

The Soyuz MS-18 crewed spacecraft approach to the International Space Station and the docking to the Rassvet module is to be carried out automatically under the control of the Mission Control Center specialists and Russian crewmembers of the spacecraft and the station. The docking is planned according to the so-called ‘superfast’ scheme - at 11:07:51 UTC (± 3 minutes).