Moscow: of Russia the only active female astronaut, Anna Kikina, is due to travel International Space Station in September on a Soyuz rocket, the National Space Agency said Thursday.
37-year-old engineer Kikina will be the fifth professional female cosmonaut to go into space from Russia or the Soviet Union.
Last year, the Russian Space Agency roscosmos Said “Our Beauty” Kikina will fly on SpaceX’s Crew Dragon as part of a cross-flight deal between Roscosmos and NASA.
On Thursday, Roscosmos said Kikina would fly into space with the Americans in August if the two countries finalize the deal, while NASA’s Francisco Rubio Will travel on Soyuz.
But if the deal doesn’t work out, she will travel to the ISS on a Soyuz rocket in September.
The last Russian woman to go into space was Elena Serova, who spent 167 days on the ISS from September 2014 to March 2015.
Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman in space when she traveled into orbit on June 16, 1963.
Svetlana Savitskaya She was the second woman to go into space, and the first to do a spacewalk in July 1984.
In October, Russia also sent an actress into space, Yulia Peresild, who spent 12 days on the ISS shooting scenes for a film.
By comparison, more than 50 American women have traveled to space.
Roscosmos also said on Thursday that three Russian cosmonauts Oleg Artemyev, Denis Matveyev And Sergei Korsakov Will fly to the ISS in March.
“For the first time in the history of the ISS, the Soyuz crew will consist of three Russian professional cosmonauts,” the space agency said.
A Roscosmos official said this was because a contract with NASA on joint flights was about to expire.
“Negotiations are currently underway to extend the contract,” the representative told AFP.
37-year-old engineer Kikina will be the fifth professional female cosmonaut to go into space from Russia or the Soviet Union.
Last year, the Russian Space Agency roscosmos Said “Our Beauty” Kikina will fly on SpaceX’s Crew Dragon as part of a cross-flight deal between Roscosmos and NASA.
On Thursday, Roscosmos said Kikina would fly into space with the Americans in August if the two countries finalize the deal, while NASA’s Francisco Rubio Will travel on Soyuz.
But if the deal doesn’t work out, she will travel to the ISS on a Soyuz rocket in September.
The last Russian woman to go into space was Elena Serova, who spent 167 days on the ISS from September 2014 to March 2015.
Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman in space when she traveled into orbit on June 16, 1963.
Svetlana Savitskaya She was the second woman to go into space, and the first to do a spacewalk in July 1984.
In October, Russia also sent an actress into space, Yulia Peresild, who spent 12 days on the ISS shooting scenes for a film.
By comparison, more than 50 American women have traveled to space.
Roscosmos also said on Thursday that three Russian cosmonauts Oleg Artemyev, Denis Matveyev And Sergei Korsakov Will fly to the ISS in March.
“For the first time in the history of the ISS, the Soyuz crew will consist of three Russian professional cosmonauts,” the space agency said.
A Roscosmos official said this was because a contract with NASA on joint flights was about to expire.
“Negotiations are currently underway to extend the contract,” the representative told AFP.
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