Soyuz Rocket Launched From Baikonur to ISS With Two Russian and One US Citizen

BAIKONUR (Sputnik) - The Soyuz-2.1a rocket with the Soyuz MS-22 spacecraft was launched from Baikonur, a crew of Russian cosmonauts Sergei Prokopyev and Dmitry Petelin, as well as NASA astronaut Francisco Rubio, departed to the ISS, a Sputnik correspondent reported.

In a few minutes, the rocket launched the spacecraft into the target orbit, after which it will begin its independent flight to the International Space Station — the journey will take just over three hours. The total duration of the mission should be 188 days. The return of the crew is scheduled for March 28, 2023.

The launch is the first under the agreement between Roscosmos and NASA on cross-flights. On October 3, a flight to the station of the US spacecraft Crew Dragon with Russian cosmonaut Anna Kikina in the crew is expected. So far, the agreement provides for two more flights of Russian and US spacecraft with international crews in 2023 and 2024.