On March 7, RSC Energia specialists at the Baikonur launch site have successfully completed operations to fill a manned transportation spacecraft of the new series Soyuz MS-08 with propellant components and compressed gases.

After the filling the spacecraft was brought into the spacecraft processing facility and installed into a jig for further pre-launch processing.

The launch of the Soyuz-FG launch vehicle with the Soyuz MS-08 manned transport spacecraft is scheduled for March 21, 2018 from Launch Pad No. 1 (Gagarin’s launch pad).

The prime crew of the Soyuz MS-08 spacecraft consists of commander, ROSCOSMOS cosmonaut, Oleg ARTEMIEV, flight engineers, NASA astronauts Andrew FEUSTEL and Richard ARNOLD. The backup crew consists of the spacecraft commander, ROSCOSMOS cosmonaut Alexei OVCHININ and flight engineer, NASA astronaut Nick HAGUE.