Russian Cosmonaut Ryzhikov Says Duration Of Next ISS Mission Reduced By 9 Days

Russian Cosmonaut Ryzhikov Says Duration of Next ISS Mission Reduced by 9 Days

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 24th September, 2020) The space mission of the next crew to the International Space Station (ISS), which will leave for the ISS aboard the Soyuz MS-17 spacecraft from the Baikonur cosmodrome in October, will last 177 days, Russian Cosmonaut Sergey Ryzhikov, the head of the crew, said on Thursday, though Roscosmos has said that the mission will last 186 days.

"According to the current plan, the duration of our expedition is 177 days. We are expected to return back [on Earth] on April 9 next year if nothing changes," Ryzhikov said at a press conference.

The Soyuz MS-17 is scheduled for launch at the Baikonur spaceport on October 14. It is set to be a record fast flight, with the route calculated to take about three hours. Apart from Ryzhikov, the mission will include Russian cosmonaut Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and US astronaut Kate Rubins.