MOSCOW: Russia’s sole lively feminine cosmonaut, Anna Kikina, is because of commute to the World Area Station in September on a Soyuz rocket, the nationwide house company mentioned the day before today. Kikina, a 37-year-old engineer, might be best the 5th skilled lady cosmonaut from Russia or the Soviet Union to fly to house. Final 12 months, the Russian house company Roscosmos mentioned “our good looks” Kikina would fly aboard SpaceX’s Team Dragon as a part of a cross-flights deal between Roscosmos and NASA.
The previous day, Roscosmos mentioned that if the 2 nations finalize the deal, Kikina will fly to house with the American citizens in August, whilst NASA’s Francisco Rubio will commute on a Soyuz. But when the deal does no longer determine, she is going to commute to the ISS on a Soyuz rocket in September. The final Russian lady to fly to house was once Elena Serova, who spent 167 days aboard the ISS from Sept 2014 to March 2015.
Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova turned into the primary lady in house when she travelled into orbit on June 16, 1963. Svetlana Savitskaya was once the second one lady in house, and the primary lady to accomplish a spacewalk in July, 1984. In October, Russia additionally despatched to house an actress, Yulia Peresild, who spent 12 days at the ISS taking pictures scenes for a film. By means of comparability, greater than 50 American ladies have travelled to house.
Roscosmos additionally mentioned the day before today that 3 Russian cosmonauts — Oleg Artemyev, Denis Matveyev and Sergei Korsakov — will fly to the ISS in March. “For the primary time within the historical past of the ISS, the Soyuz staff will come with 3 Russian skilled cosmonauts,” the house company mentioned. A Roscosmos authentic mentioned this was once as a result of a freelance with NASA on joint flights was once nearing its finish. “Talks are recently underway to increase the contract,” the consultant mentioned. – AFP