During the Shuttle era, NASA and the Russian space agency Roscosmos worked out a deal to trade seats between the Shuttle and the Russian Soyuz capsule. When the Shuttle retired this deal went away and NASA had to now pay for each seat it was going to take up until NASA could get its Commerical Crew Program up and running.
Expand Expanding Close
On Monday, for the first time in six years, Russia performed a test flight of the Angara-5 rocket. The test was conducted at 8:50 Moscow Time, and saw the rocket head for a near-geosynchronous orbit carrying a test payload.
Expand Expanding Close
Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Sergey Kud-Sverchkov are conducting spacewalks outside the International Space Station today. NASA astronaut Kate Rubins is tasked with assisting the cosmonaut duo with suiting up and monitoring their progress during what is expected to last up to six hours.
Expand Expanding Close