While geopolitical events are now seriously effecting US-Russian relations and even Russo-Kazakh ones, it was still business as normal when it comes to crewed launches at the Baikonour Cosmodrome near Tyuratam, Kazakhstan. At 1354 GMT on 21 September 2022 a Soyuz MS-22 dubbed ‘Tsikokovskiy’ after the founder of rocket science, was launched by a Soyuz 2-1a rocket. Aboard were to Russian comsmonauts Sergei Prokopiev, Dmitry Petelin along with the US astronaut Frank Rubio, taking a NASA ride to the International Space Station (ISS) for a six month mission. Originally Russian cosmonaut Anna Kikina was going to be on the crew but she will now fly to the ISS on a US commercial flight under an exchance agreement with Frank Rubio taking her place.
Updated on 22 September 2022: Soyuz MS-22 docked with the ISS Rassvet module’s nadir port at about 1706 GMT on 21 September about three hours 12 mins after launch.
Post script: Sergei Prokopiev is technically a Lt Colonel in the military reserve. As a reservist, he thus could technically be called up under Russia’s part mobilisation as it tries to hold the line in Ukraine. Under new draconian Russian law on refuseniks, if he fails to turn up at his appointed reception centre, he could face jail with the length of term set according to his time absent. And Prokopiev will be away for six months. No doubt he will be given a special bye.
Ignition of Soyuz 2-1a with the Soyuz MS-22 spacecraft aboard. Courtesy: Roscosmos
