Russia’s Soyuz TMA-06M spacecraft ready for launch

PanARMENIAN.Net - Russia’s Soyuz TMA-06M spacecraft with the International Space Station’s (ISS) Expedition 33/34 is set for the launch from the Baikonur space center in Kazakhstan on Tuesday, Oct 23 afternoon, a spokesman for the Russian space agency Roscosmos said, according to RIA Novosti.

“The launch of the carrier rocket Soyuz-FG with the piloted spacecraft Soyuz TMA-06M is scheduled for October 23 at 14:51 Moscow time [10:51 GMT],” the spokesman said.

The separation of the piloted spacecraft from the third and final stage of the Soyuz-FG carrier rocket is slated for 15:00 Moscow time (11:00 GMT). The docking of the Soyuz TMA-06M with the ISS is scheduled for October 25 at 16:51 Moscow time (12:51 GMT) in an automated mode.

The ISS Expedition 33/34 comprises two Russian cosmonauts - Commander Oleg Novitsky and Flight Engineer Yevgeny Tarelkin; as well as NASA astronaut - Flight Engineer Kevin Ford.

This will be Novitsky and Tarelkin's first time in space; however, Ford already has space experience, flying on an American shuttle in 2009. This will be the first time Ford travels to the ISS on a Russian Soyuz rocket.

They will join the current crew consisting of NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, Russian cosmonaut Yury Malenchenko and Japan’s Akihiko Hoshide.