The maneuver was performed using the engines of the ZVEZDA module of the Russian segment of the ISS
MOSCOW, October 12. /TASS/. The orbit of the International Space Station (ISS) has been adjusted in preparation for the launch of the sOyuz MS-20 manned spacecraft, on which two tourists from Japan will go into space in December. This is stated in the message of Roscosmos, distributed on Tuesday.
"According to preliminary data, after the maneuver, the height of the ISS orbit increased by about 940 meters," the state corporation noted.
As specified in Roscosmos, the maneuver was performed using the engines of the ZVEZDA module of the Russian segment of the ISS. They were switched on at 10:05 Moscow time and worked for 38.9 seconds. "Currently, specialists of the ballistic and navigation support service of the TsNIIMash Mission Control Center (part of the ROSCOSMOS State Corporation) are calculating updated parameters of the ISS orbit," the state corporation added.
Currently there are 10 crew members on board the ISS: Roscosmos cosmonauts Oleg Novitsky, Pyotr Dubrov and Anton Shkaplerov, actress Yulia Peresild, director Klim Shipenko, NASA astronauts Mark Vande Hai, Shane Kimbrough and Megan MacArthur, European Space Agency astronaut Tom Peske, and JAXA astronaut Akihiko Hoshide.
The launch of the sOyuz MS-20 manned spacecraft with two space tourists is scheduled for December 8, 2021. The duration of the flight will be 12 days. The SOYUZ MS-20 will be managed by Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Misurkin, and Japanese billionaire entrepreneur Yusaku Maezawa and his business assistant Yozo Hirano will also be on board.