On July 19, specialists from RSC Energia (a part of State Corporation Roscosmos) working at the Baikonur launch site have successfully completed operations to mate a manned transportation spacecraft Soyuz MS-05 to the adapter section.

The spacecraft preparations for the launch under the International Space Station (ISS) program are being performed at the spacecraft processing facility at the Baikonur launch site. Earlier, the spacecraft had been filled with propellant components and compressed gases.

Planned for the next week under the schedule of processing activities are a designer’s inspection of the spacecraft, roll-on of the payload fairing and transportation of the orbital module containing Soyuz MS-05 from the spacecraft processing facility to the launch vehicle integration and checkout facility and basicintegration with Soyuz-FG launch vehicle.

The launch of LV with SC Soyuz MS-05 carrying the crew of the next long-duration tour to the International Space Station (ISS) is scheduled on July 28, 2017 from Baikonur cosmodrome.

The main crew includes a Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergei RYAZANSKY, NASA astronaut Randolf BRESNIK and ESA astronaut Paolo NESPOLI. The backup crew consists of Alexander MISURKIN, NASA astronaut Mark VANDE HEI and JAXA astronaut Norishige KANAI.