Roscosmos Ready To Discuss Sending US Astronaut To ISS On Soyuz After October 2020

Daniyal Sohail Published October 23, 2019 | 12:07 PM

Russia is ready to discuss with the United States the possibility of sending US astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) via Soyuz spacecraft if the new US spaceships are not ready for missions by October 2020, Sergei Krikalev, the executive director for human spaceflight at Russian space agency Roscosmos, told journalists

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 23rd October, 2019) Russia is ready to discuss with the United States the possibility of sending US astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) via Soyuz spacecraft if the new US spaceships are not ready for missions by October 2020, Sergei Krikalev, the executive director for human spaceflight at Russian space agency Roscosmos, told journalists.

The last US astronaut who will fly to the ISS aboard Russia's spacecraft is to return next October. If new US spaceships, Starliner and Crew Dragon, are not ready for flights by the time, the US ISS segment risks�being left without astronauts.

"Then we will sit down and talk [about sending a US astronaut to the ISS]," Krikalev said, answering the question on the prospects of flights to the ISS if the US spacecrafts are not ready.

According to the executive director, both parties hope that the US ships' construction will be completed on time.

Otherwise, Russia will have to adjust its own plans for the national space program.

"If we have to alternate the program, this will be painful. But we will optimize it proceeding from the overall interests. Nevertheless, they [the US] have not told us yet what they need. They hope that their ships will fly as well as we do because selling seats is not our aim. Our objective is to fulfill the program," Krikalev added.

NASA estimates that Starliner and Crew Dragon spaceships will conduct their first flights to the ISS in 2020. The Crew Dragon's first crew will include two NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley, the Starliner's crew will take to the ISS NASA astronauts Michael Fincke and Nicole Aunapu Mann and Boeing astronaut Christopher Ferguson.