Key facts
- A U.S.-Russian crew launched Tuesday on a Soyuz MS-29 spacecraft for the International Space Station.
- NASA astronaut Anil Menon and Russian cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina will spend eight months on the ISS.
- The launch occurred at the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
- NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman attended the launch, emphasizing continued U.S.-Russia cooperation in orbit.
- This is Menon's first space flight, and the second for Dubrov and Kikina.
A U.S.-Russian space crew successfully launched Tuesday from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for an eight-month mission aboard the International Space Station. The crew includes NASA astronaut Anil Menon, on his first space flight, and Russian cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina, both on their second missions. They are scheduled to dock with the orbiting outpost three hours after liftoff.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman attended the launch, marking the first visit by a NASA chief to Baikonur in eight years. His presence highlighted the continued cooperation between the U.S. and Russia in space, despite ongoing tensions related to Russia's military actions in Ukraine. Isaacman expressed gratitude to Roscosmos for their work in preparing for the mission, citing the professionalism and dedication of all involved.
Historically rivals, Russia and the U.S. have maintained a working relationship on the ISS, with crews continuing to fly on each other's spacecraft. However, broader cooperation plans, such as Russian participation in NASA's Artemis lunar program, have been discontinued. Russia's increasing reliance on China due to Western sanctions has led to new cooperation with China on lunar missions.