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Russia Is Planning A Return To Space Travel, Sending Japanese Billionaire To Space

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5 years ago

December 7, 2021

The Russian state commission (Roscosmos) has approved the launch of a Soyuz-2.1 rocket carrying a Soyuz MS-20 spacecraft carrying two Japanese astronauts.

Roscosmos announced on Tuesday that Yusaku Maezawa and Yozo Hirano, as well as renowned Russian cosmonaut Alexander Misurkin, will launch into orbit on Wednesday.

“The State Commission has appointed the prime and backup crews of the Soyuz MS-20 manned spacecraft,” Roscosmos said in a statement.

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“In addition, the readiness of the Soyuz-2 rocket and ground infrastructure for launch on December 8 has been confirmed.”

The spacecraft will be launched on Wednesday at 10.38 a.m. Moscow time (07.38 a.m. GMT) by businessman Maezawa, his assistant Hirano, and the professional Russian cosmonaut.

At 16.41 p.m. Moscow time, the International Space Station will be docked (13.41 GTM).

The team is set to return to Earth on December 20.

The tourists will take part in the station’s scientific program as well as tasks from the list of “100 Things You Want MZ To Do In Space!”

Merzawa and Hiran will record everything they do and post it on YouTube.

The crew will also carry New Year’s gifts for the Russian crew members, props for their missions, and delicacies of Japanese cuisine suited for consumption in space to the station.

Maezawa and Hirano will be the first visitors in 12 years to fly to the International Space Station in a Soyuz spacecraft.

From 2001 through 2009, Soyuz spacecraft sent seven visitors to the International Space Station under contracts with the American space tourism corporation Space Adventures.

Charles Simonyi, an American entrepreneur, was on the crew twice.