On September 5, at Baikonur Cosmodrome RSC Energia specialists conducted the designer’s inspection of the new-modification manned spacecraft Soyuz MS-06 and performed a set of technological operations on encapsulation of launch vehicle Soyuz-FG.

The spacecraft prelaunch processing under the International Space Station (ISS) Program is under way at the spacecraft assembly & testing facilities (SC ATF) at Baikonur Cosmodrome.

Per the preparatory work schedule the transportation of the payload module with Soyuz МS-06 from SC ATF to the launch vehicle integration and test facility (LV ITF) for final assembly with launch vehicle Soyuz-FG is planned this week.

Tomorrow the prime and backup crews of Soyuz MS-06 will arrive to Baikonur cosmodrome after successful completion of the integrated examination trainings at Yu.A. Gagarin CTC.

The ISS-53/54 Expedition crew consists of Alexander MIZURKIN (spacecraft commander, ROSCOSMOS) and astronauts Mark VANDE HEI and Joseph ACABA (flight engineers, NASA). Their backups are cosmonaut Anton SHKAPLEROV (spacecraft commander, ROSCOSMOS) and NASA astronauts Scott TINGLE and Shannon WALKER (flight engineers, NASA)

The launch of Soyuz MS-06 carrying the crew of the next long-duration tour to the International Space Station (ISS) is scheduled on September 13, 2017 at 00:17 Moscow time from Launch site No.1 (Gagarin’s Launch Pad) of Baikonur cosmodrome.