1st time in 20 years, Russia launches to space from US

A Russian cosmonaut rocketed from the U.S. on Wednesday, for the first time in 20 years, despite tensions over the war in Ukraine launching to the International Space Station alongside NASA and Japanese astronauts.

Russia’s lone female cosmonaut, Anna Kikina said that “We’re so glad to do it together”, offered thanks in both English and Russian. “Spasibo!” said.  

To orbit the world the first Native American woman, Marine Col. Nicole Mann, and Navy Capt. Josh Cassada was among the three newcomers on the flight. They were joined who is making his fifth spaceflight by Japan Space Agency’s Koichi Wakata.

“In space right now, who are pretty happy to be floating, you’ve got three rookies”, “Awesome!” radioed Mann. “That was a smooth ride uphill. 

After departing from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center they’re due to arrive at the space station on Thursday, 29 hours, and until March won’t be back on Earth. In April they replaced the U.S.-Italian crew that arrived.

By Hurricane Ian their SpaceX flight was delayed, which devastated parts of the state last week. The weather was ideal in a brilliant noontime sky as the Falcon rocket blasted.

Before the flight Wakata said, “We will brighten up the skies over Florida a little bit for everyone I hope with this launch”.

For NASA’s Frank Rubio Kikina is the Russian Space Agency’s exchange, who launched to the space station two weeks ago from Kazakhstan aboard a Soyuz rocket. With two cosmonauts he flew up.

In order to ensure a continuous U.S. and Russian presence aboard the 260-mile-high (420-kilometer-high) outpost the space agencies agreed over the summer to swap seats on their flights. Over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in late February the barter was authorized even as global hostilities mounted. The next crew exchange is in the spring.

The key reason for the seat exchange is safety in case an emergency forces one capsule’s crew home, there would still be an American and Russian on board, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said.

Russia space official Sergei Krikalev assured reporters after liftoff, in the meantime, Russia remains committed to the space station through at least 2024. He said that will take time and until it’s ready, it makes sense to keep working with NASA but Russia wants to build its own station in orbit later this decade.

With the Apollo-Soyuz orbital linkup in 1975. NASA’s commander for that mission, Thomas Stafford, attended Wednesday’s launch. A former cosmonaut who was the first to launch on a U.S. rocket, Krikalev, noted that the two countries are at a new phase of space cooperation that began.

“I hope we will cooperate together the way it was started in 1975,” while acknowledging he’s trying to quell any friction between the two space agencies, Krikalev said.

On its space shuttles in 1994 NASA started flying cosmonauts, first to Russia’s Mir space station and then to the fledgling space station. For tens of millions of dollars per seat U.S. astronauts continued to hitch rides on Russian rockets but the 2003 Columbia reentry disaster put an end to it..

To rocket off the planet Kakina is only the fifth Russian woman. After encountering “many tests and obstacles” during her decade of training she said she was surprised to be selected for the seat swap. “But I did it. I’m lucky. I’m strong,” she said.

A small traditional webbed hoop believed to offer protection, Mann, a member of the Wailacki of the Round Valley Indian Tribes in California, took along her mother’s dream catcher. In space in 2002 retired NASA astronaut John Herrington of the Chickasaw Nation became the first Native American.

Mann said before the flight, adding that everyone on her crew has a unique background “I am very proud to represent Native Americans and my heritage”. “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.”

“It’s really cool how the common mission of the space station just instantly unites us and As for the war in Ukraine, Mann said all four have put politics and personal beliefs aside”. 

“We have an opportunity to be an example for society on how to work together and live together and explore together”, Added Cassada. 

Since 2020 Elon Musk’s SpaceX has now launched eight crews: six for NASA and two private groups. Boeing, after delays to fix software and other issues that cropped up on test flights, NASA’s other contracted taxi service, plans to make its first astronaut flight early next year.

Source:- https://newsmktcap.com/1st-time-in-20-years-russia-launches-to-space-from-us/