Russian Movie in Space Part 9

The ISS-66 back-up crew were "launched′′ to the ISS, for the first time

In our last two Blogs, we mentioned that we would focus our attention on the back-up crew for Soyuz MS-19. The mainstream media tend to cover the prime crew, so we want to restore some balance.

This week, the whole crew, including the Soyuz commander, Oleg Artemyev took part in joint training, in the Soyuz MS simulator, for the first time. Let's see how this important session worked out.

′′It seems that they are excellent!", cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev shared his impressions of the first joint training, of the back-up crew the ISS-66 mission. The previous day, he and his colleagues on the upcoming expedition which is part of the movie, scientific and educational project ′′ Challenge ", held a their first full session on the ′′Soyuz MS ′′ simulator, at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training, while wearing their Sokol (Falcon) spacesuits.

During the training of the crew of Artemyev, camera operator for the film ′′ Challenge ′′ Alexey Dudin and actress Alena Mordovina performed the programme related to a routine launch to the ISS. This involved preparation for the launch followed by the ascent to orbit, of the Soyuz MS, inspection of sealing of compartments and systems of the ship after separation from the carrier rocket, orbital maneuvering and preparation for docking with the International Space Station. At all stages the crew worked competently and as a team.

Oleg Artemyev, being in the middle seat of the descent module, does not have the ability to reach all the controls of the ship, so some functions are carried out by the other crew members, even though they are not professional cosmonauts.

During the routine, Alena Mordovina, sitting on the right, had to operate valves, including those supplying oxygen to the descent module, and to control the pumping of any condensate. When checking the spacesuits for tightness, Alexey Dudin worked the valves that supply oxygen in spacesuits.

′′There was no tension just because they were not professional astronauts in the adjacent seats, and on the contrary, as a commander I was able to organize the work of the crew." said Oleg Artemyev.

"It was important to check what they have learned over the last two months, and it turned out that they know everything, learn quickly, they can carry out the work allocated, according to my instructions ".

He added that he was fortunate to have in his crew two people who are focused, and who want to learn.

"Alexey, will help me in case of emergency situations" added Artemyev. "He has onboard documentation ready, and will be able to open anything necessary at a moments notice. In addition to her main responsibilities, Alyona will have to record all the situations arising onboard on her tablet that will have to be reported to Earth. It's also a great responsibility and help ".

Writing on her own Social Media channels, Alyona Mordovina hinted that she is still focused on a prime crew seat (and the lead role in the Movie) by writing, "So proud to be part of our team. With this crew, I know I won't be scared when we go up in the rocket! It's like a miracle"

In total, the main and duplicate crews of the ISS-66 will undertake six such joint training sessions in the Soyuz MS simulator. As these progess, off-nominal, or emergency situations will be introduced and the crew will have to adapt to deal with these scenarios.

In September, just after the final examination are undertaken, the decision will be taken on whether the prime crew, or back-up crew, will make the flight, on 5th October.

Images by courtesy Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre

Words by Tony Quine

Russian Movie in Space Part 8

 

Could the crew assignments be changed, after Krikalev crisis?

For almost nine months, we’ve been following the Russian ‘Movie in Space’ project «Вызов» with several exclusive stories and updates. During the early stages, we talked to several actresses and aviation sports enthusiasts who joined the other 3000 women who applied for the lead role.

In April, we were the first media outlet in the World to reveal the names of the final four candidates; Alyona Mordovina, Yulia Peresild, Sofya Arzhakovskaya and Galina Kairova.

As everyone now knows, on 13^th May, Yulia Peresild was cast in the leading role, and therefore would join the prime crew of Soyuz MS-19 alongside experienced cosmonaut, Anton Shkaplerov and the movie’s director, Klim Shipenko. Shipenko’s position in the prime crew had been announced many months before, subject to his acceptance by the State Medical Commission.

If all follows the published timeline, Shkaplerov, Peresild and Shipenko will be launched to the ISS on 5^th October, which requires a training and preparation programme of only four months.

So, what has happened in the two months since that announcement?

Well, the prime crew ‘spaceflight participants’ Peresild and Shipenko, and their back-ups Alyona Mordovina, and camera operator Aleksey Dudin reported for training on Monday 24^th May. After an initial burst of photos, interviews and publicity, there has been little mention in the Russian media of exactly what aspects of training they have completed. Even individual Social Media accounts give little away, although many photos show that the candidates are living, from Monday to Friday, at the Cosmonaut Training Centre.

Although the Roscosmos and First Channel media offices have said that interviews are not possible, at this time, Yulia Peresild did give a lengthy Q &A session, on 11th June, using Instagram during which she revealed, that she was ‘obviously scared’ when she found out that she was to be offered the role.

On 19th June, First Channel showed a report of the two crews performing Water Survival Training, a difficult and strength sapping activity.

But, an aspect we want to examine, in this Blog, is how certain are the crew assignments? Is it possible that the back-up crew might actually be assigned to the mission?

At the Space Sleuthing Blog, we’ve been looking back at previous Soyuz flights which included ‘spaceflight participants’ and where there was a genuine trained, and funded, back-up available.

The evidence suggest that the back-up crew have a good chance. Both Soyuz TMA-9 and TMA-12  saw the back-up SFP’s (Anousheh Ansari and Soyeon Yi) reassigned to their respective prime crews, around three weeks before the launch. 

In each case, the trainers, instructors and management, at the Cosmonaut Training Centre, pushed through the crew changes. Such changes were based on training performance and psychological evaluations, and weaknesses in the performance of the prime crew member. 

We should also consider that the back-up SFP on Soyuz TMA-18M, Satoshi Takamatsu, would have flown if he’d been able to bring the money together in time, after British singer, Sarah Brightman dropped out.

So, based on previous events, we can probably say that there is a 50% chance that one, or both, members of the back-up crew will eventually be reassigned to the prime crew, before the launch.

We should also consider the possible impact of recent events surrounding Sergei Kriklev, Head of Manned Programmes at Roskosmos, who was removed from his post, allegedly, for speaking out against the concept of the movie project at a Roskosmos Management Board meeting, before being reinstated a few days later. This occurred after very public protests from many prominent ex-cosmonauts, and more subtle, but equally strong protests from the current cosmonaut squad.

No doubt part of the terms of his reinstatement will require Krikalev give unqualified support the to movie project, but he will also want to ensure that his objections had some influence, and that the people he sends into space are the best qualified, and best prepared.  

In other words, for the back-up crew, anything could still happen. The training assessments and recommendations of the professionals at the GCTC should, in the end, out-weigh ‘artistic’ preferences.

Although First Channel, and Shipenko, may have cast Persild, the actress who completes the training and impresses the GCTC assessors will be the one who sits in the rocket on 5th October.  From the point of view of Alyona Mordovina, everything is still to play for!

We have nothing but admiration for Yulia Peresild. She is clearly a very good, and very popular actress. It maybe that the GCTC specialists will still give her the thumbs up. But, here at the Space Sleuthing Blog, we do love to see an underdog come out on top, and so we are firmly backing Alyona Mordovina to make the flight!

What is not widely known, is that Alyona was the first of the twenty actresses to pass all the medical and psychological tests, and be confirmed as qualified for cosmonaut training. 

For several weeks, she was the only candidate eligible to make the flight, until the other three were added at the last moment. In those circumstances, she may have been a little disappointed to end up with the back-up role.  

If she was, it does not show in her Social Media posts. Alyona seems to be enjoying the experience of getting ready to make a Spaceflight. At this stage, the crews have only completed around 30% of their training, but Alyona looks focused, relaxed and ready to go. 

One of the other actresses who met her at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre in March described her to us as "a shining light", and explained "Alyona was clearly the one who had prepared best, and who wanted it the most."

© Tony Quine July 2021

 

Russian Movie in Space Part 7

 

The crews are selected and training begins!!

Here at the Space Sleuthing Blog we’ve been following the very interesting ‘Movie in Space’ «Вызов» (Challenge) for over six months , and we’ve already written six Blogs, including some exclusive materials!

On 13^th May, the announcement was made of the identities of the Prime and Back-up crews which will now be prepared under the ISS Expedition Crew 66 programme, for launching on Soyuz MS-19 :-

Prime Crew

Anton Skhaplerov, Klim Shipenko, Yulia Peresild.

Back-up Crew

Oleg Artemyev, Aleksey Dudin, Alyona Mordovina

 

As this announcement was widely reported in the mass media, in Russia, and across the World, we did not see that there was any great value in re-writing all this in our Blog. After all, our purpose is to record different perspectives and exclusives.

However, there are some interesting details surrounding the selection of the two crews which have not been widely reported, but which were collected from Social Media, and which sit very neatly within the purpose and scope of our Blog.

For example, recording the final the timeline relating to the selection of Yulia Peresild and Alyona Mordovina.

Although the campaign to attract actresses and other women to apply for the role was initiated in November (link) the twenty ladies chosen to be finalists were only notified on, or around 7^th March, just a couple of days before a public announcement

The actresses, together with a small number of other professionals (pilot, doctor, psychologist) were tested at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre (GCTC) in small groups from 15^th March. It is very interesting to note that the first actress to be confirmed as qualified for training as a cosmonaut was Alyona Mordovina. She remained as the only confirmed candidate for a couple of weeks, until, right at the end of the screening process three more candidates were accepted; Yulia Peresild, Sofya Arzhakovskaya (aka Sofya Skya) and Galina Kairova, a pilot. 

At this point, the four ladies had a tense wait of over a month, until the creative team, headed by Klim Shipenko carried out a casting process, on 12^th May. Unfortunately, Sofya Arzhakovskaya could not attend as her son was ill, and she had to quarantine. The following day, 13^th May, the assignments of Persild and Mordovina were confirmed by the State Medical Commission, at the GCTC.

The position of Klim Shipenko as Director, and a member of the prime crew had been clear for many months, subject to him completing the medical and physical tests.  However, his back-up had not been publicly mentioned until the Medical Commission when Aleksey Dudin was confirmed, alongside Alyona Mordovina, and Oleg Artemyev. Aleksey is an experienced and skilled camera operator, who has been involved in the production on several movies and TV series.

There are a number of notable ‘firsts’ which will now be achieved by the Soyuz MS-19 mission:-

•  The first time that an all-Russian crew has been launched to the International Space Station, even though it has been continuously manned for over 20 years.

• The first time that two Spaceflight Participants (non- professional cosmonauts) have been launched together, on the same Soyuz.

• The first time that Russian citizens have been sent into Space, as Spaceflight Participants.

• And, of course it will be the first full-length feature film to be filmed largely in Space. 

We should also mention, that whether it is Yulia, or Alyona, who eventually goes up on Soyuz MS-19, they will be only the fifth Soviet/Russian woman to be launched into Space.

 

Naturally, the mainstream media tends to focus upon the Prime Crew, Anton, Yulia and Klim, but here at the Space Sleuthing Blog, we hope to be able to bring perspectives and experiences from the Back-up Crew, Alyona and Aleksey.

                              

The role of the Back-up Crew can often be over-looked, but they have a critical role to play in ensuring the success of the mission. At any moment, right up to the launch, they are only a heart beat away from going into Space. So, the Back-up crew have to prepare with the same focus, diligence and courage as the Prime Crew.

Indeed, we can look back to situations involving Spaceflight Participants in 2006, 2008 and 2015, where prime crew SFP’s were replaced, for various reasons. Therefore, it is easy to make the connection that Back-up SFP’s have a much higher chance of flying than their professional cosmonaut colleagues!!

On 24^th May, the four Spaceflight Participants reported to the GCTC for the start of the training and preparation process. The initial stages take place over four weeks, and besides classroom study and tuition and beginning to work on Soyuz and ISS (Russian Segment) simulators, will include several key parts of the overall training process:-

•         Flights simulating Zero-G on an IL-76 aircraft

•              Water recovery and survival training, in preparations for potential Soyuz landing of water

•              Visit to the “Zvezda” company for measuring and assessment for the production of bespoke         “Sokol” spacesuits and Soyuz seat-liners.

After this, the Soyuz MS-19 crews will visit the Baikonur cosmodrome to witness the preparations, and launch of the unmanned Progress MS-17 currently planned for 30^th June. It is likely that some of these activities will also involve the crews of Soyuz MS-20, which is due to take two Japanese ‘space tourists’ to the ISS, in December.

At the Space Sleuthing Blog, we want to wish everyone involved in preparations for the Soyuz MS-19 mission every success and good fortune during their preparations, and we look forwards to reporting again, across the Summer.

 

© Tony Quine May 2021

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

Mystery of Missing ‘Space Tourists’ explained!

Mystery of Missing ‘Space Tourists’ explained

 

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The announcement, on May 13th, of the crew of the first double-tourist Soyuz spaceflight, Soyuz MS-20, caused some surprise, when neither of the expected candidates were named by space tourism provider Space Adventures.

The Space Sleuthing Blog previously reported that the space tourists on Soyuz MS-20 would be Japanese singer, Yumi Matsutoya, and Austrian pilot Johanna Maislinger, who has been a client at Space Adventures since 2017.

Instead, Space Adventures and Roscosmos, announced that the billionaire behind the proposed DearMoon Project, Yusaku Maezawa, would take the flight to the International Space Station, prior to the manned lunar fly-by, accompanied by his assistant Yozo Hirano.

This development caught ‘space-watchers’ by surprise, particularly, as if Maezawa wanted to make such a ‘dry run’ to low Earth orbit, a trip on a SpaceX Crew Dragon would have seemed a more logical choice. However, as NASA have said recently, docking port availability at the ISS is an issue, and it seems likely that Maezawa has taken the Soyuz option, in order to fly sooner than would have been possible with SpaceX.

 

Previously, Yumi Matsutoya’s name had been linked to the flight when her name was included on documents drawn up on the Russian side, alongside the otherwise unknown Yozo Hirano, in late 2020. It now looks probable that her name was used in an effort to conceal Maezawa’s name, as he presumably wished for his identity to be concealed, until the last possible moment. It is notable that Matsutoya and Maezawa share the same initials, YM, in both English and Russian, which may be why her name was chosen for the ruse.

Regarding Johanna Maislinger, a Boeing 777 captain, she had claimed to be raising her own funding and sponsorship for the Soyuz trip, and had boasted back in 2017 that 'money and media support will be no problem'. 

Regardless of how realistic that claim was, she would clearly have been financially out-gunned by the wealth of the Japanese billionaire, particularly when he decided to buy both Soyuz seats. Space Adventures have no further Soyuz flights booked until 2023.

 

In May 2021, information emanated from one of the ISS partner agencies that  revealed, that in early 2021, they were advised that Maislinger had failed to secure sufficient funding for her spaceflight. However, she was being lined-up up to undertake cosmonaut training in Russia, and then to serve as a back-up to a future Soyuz space tourist. Roscosmos has to get clearance from their International partners for any potential crew members on visiting Soyuz missions, including back-ups, so Maislinger’s credentials appear to have been circulated as part of this process.

Sources in Russia had suggested that Yusaku Maezawa would have a 'non-flying' back-up, similar to previous Space Adventures clients in 2008, 2009 and 2015, when three different people trained as part of a back-up crew, but with no realistic prospect of replacing prime crew member, in the event of a serious problem.

Of course, training as a back-up is a much cheaper option than flying, so this seemed to be a more realistic option for Maislinger. 

During the Medical Commission, in May, where the prime crew of Soyuz MS-20 (and also MS-19 were confirmed) a third Japanese citizen was also approved for spaceflight. He was Shun Ogiso, the PR Director of the Dear Moon Project. Ogiso is understood to be a potential back-up for Yozo Hirano. 

However, there was no fourth candidate presented for approval, leaving the question of Maezawa’s back-up, and Maislinger’s fate, at that point, still unclear.

In July 2021, a representative of the Moscow office of Space Adventures finally confirmed that Maislinger never had the financial support required, and had never been treated as a serious candidate for the Soyuz flight. 

Despite this, between June and December 2020, they had included her name on lists of potential clients submitted regularly to Roscosmos. The most likely scenario is that, by this stage, Maislinger was still hanging onto the believe that she could raise the money, and was enjoying seeing her name, and photograph, being widely quoted, as a potential Space Tourist. 

Copyright Tony Quine May 2021 (Updated August 2021)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Russian Movie in Space Part 6

Four actresses who are short-listed for trip to the ISS can now be named. 

Final selection will be announced on 15th May

The name of the actress who will be sent to the International Space Station, on the next Soyuz spaceflight will be revealed on 15th May, according to the Head of Roscosmos. This unusual spaceflight will be connected to the filming of the movie «Вызов», (The Challenge).

Here at the 'Space Sleuthing Blog', we've followed this developing story for six months, bringing regular updates. We're really pleased to be the first media outlet in the World to reveal the names of the four finalists, one for whom will be going to the International Space Station, in five months.

Speaking at a Press Briefing at the Progress Rocket Factory, in Samara, on 23rd April Dmitri Rogozin revealed that the Director of the movie Klim Shipenko had completed his medical checks and had been confirmed fit to fly to the ISS. The next step will be for Shipenko and his casting team to select the actress who will accompany him, and cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov onboard Soyuz MS-19.

Rogozin continued, "At the end of the day, we have to understand that it is always the Director who decides who he will work with. It is important for us now to show him, which of these girls is ready to handle the challenge of the spaceflight." 

He explained that, as expected, there had been a high elimination rate among the twenty actresses who had entered the final phase of the contest, in March, which we reported HERE.

"Several girls have been selected, after a huge dropout rate, which was to be expected. The  Doctors are very strict and they are checking the whole situation, as there are such high requirements to work in space, even for a short flight." explained the head of Roscosmos.

Although Rogozin declined to name the final candidates, or say how many there are, additional information which has become available to the 'Space Sleuthing Blog' confirms that the group consists of four women, aged between 27 and 36. Three are experienced professional actresses, whilst the fourth is an amateur actress, who holds a private pilot's license. 

Their names are :-

Alyona Mordovina (b 1987)

Yulia Peresild (b 1984)

Sofya Arzhakovskaya (aka Sofya Skya) (b 1987)

Galina Kairova (b 1994)

Alyona Mordovina

Yulia Peresild

Sofya Arzhakovskaya

Galina Kairova

According to Rogozin, the leading lady, who will join the Prime Crew of Soyuz MS-19, and her understudy/back-up, will now be selected by Klim Shipenko's creative and casting team, and the TV company First Channel, over the next couple of weeks, as would be the case with any other movie.

It also seems likely that the question of the contracts, agreements and waivers which all parties will doubtless be required to enter into, will be quite complex. The project is unprecedented, and there are numerous scenarios, which could arise during training, the spaceflight and after return to earth which will need to be considered, and ironed out. For example, what if the chosen actress decides to pull out? 

Once the actress is chosen, and contracted, the whole crew for Soyuz MS-19, which will be commanded by Shkaplerov, and their back-ups are due to be confirmed, by the State Commission on 13th May. This will tie in with the official announcement which Rogozin alluded to, being made two days later.

However, in a curious twist, on 30th April, just after we published these names above, for the first time, it was revealed that a further group of actress at appeared at the Cosmonaut Training Centre, for testing. It is not clear if these were women from the original twenty finalists, or even the original 3000 entrants. 

What we do know, is that this is connected to possible changes to the way the movie will be funded. It seems that private investors have emerged who will fund, or partially fund, the movie, but they also want to have input into the selection of the 'star'. 

Pavel Vlasov, Head of the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre has previously stated that Soyuz MS-19 will be launched on 20th September, giving a training period of only four months. Vlasov has previously said that he, and his team, want to perfect a training process of around this duration, for future Space Tourists. However, other sources still give a projected launch date of 5th October.

After a twelve day stay on the ISS, during which large parts of the movie will be filmed, Shipenko and his leading lady will return to Earth onboard Soyuz MS-18, with departing ISS commander Oleg Novitsky.

The Commission meeting on 13th May, should also confirm the widely predicted crew of Soyuz MS-20, being Russian cosmonaut Alexander Misurkin, and two clients of Space Adventures, Austrian aviator Johanna Maislinger and Japanese entertainer Yumi Matsutoya. 

© Tony Quine April 2021

Russian Movie in Space Part 5

 

Russian actresses who will compete for trip to ISS identified

Twenty women who applied for the lead role in first movie to be shot in Space are currently going through the medical and physical tests, at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre

In November last year, we brought our first update on the emerging Russian ‘Movie in Space’ project, with the working title ‘The Challenge’. This would involve sending an actress to the International Space Station, onboard a scheduled Soyuz flight, in late 2021. All the background and details of the key organisations involved can be found here, so we will not repeat all of that content, rather we will pick up the story, as it is now unfolding.

It is fair to say that the project met with a degree of resistance and opposition, from the Russian scientific and aerospace communities, with criticism for putting art before science, depriving trained cosmonauts of their flights, and as an inappropriate use of Federal funds. Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov spoke of ‘over my dead body’! It is rumoured that the project was taken to Vladimir Putin, for endorsement, to overcome such resistance, and that Putin gave it the green light.

The original plan was that thirty, or so, woman would be selected, and they would then compete in a Reality TV style contest, between January and April, to find the two winners. However, these plans seem to have been scrapped, and for many weeks, little information emerged, other than a statement that around 3000 applications had been received. This number is around six times the number of applications received for the last conventional call for cosmonaut applications, in 2019!

In early March, First Channel, the TV company behind the project, and Roscosmos announced that the project was proceeding, and a shortlist of twenty actresses to potentially play the lead role, and her understudy, had been drawn up. It was also announced that the film’s director, Klim Shipenko, would also travel to the International Space Station, to oversee the filming the scenes to be shot in space.

Several well-known Russian actresses appeared in a promotional video, and were presented as being among the twenty finalists, whilst others commented on Social Media. These included Olga Kuzmina, Svetlana Ivanova, Maria Valeshnaya, Svetlana Khodchenkova, Marina Kazankova and Svetlana Mironenko. Others were featured in a short video about the audition and selection process. But, there is no published list, from the producers, or Roscosmos, at this stage.

However, at the Space Sleuthing Blog, we present our ‘unofficial’ list, drawn from these sources and others. 

We don't assert that this list is 100% accurate, but we do estimate that twelve or so, of these names are solid, and two or three are more speculative. It is worth remembering, that whoever is chosen will be only the fifth Russian or Soviet woman in space!

The process of putting these twenty through the daunting and demanding cosmonaut selection process began March, but not all candidates have yet started. Shipenko has said that they plan to reveal the lead and understudy, or prime and back-up, in early April. However, this looks ambitious. Shipenko has also said that he has only partly completed the medical test to secure his own seat, as the process typically take around a month, so the April date for the actress, may not be met.

An interesting aspect of the selection process, is that the producers have chosen several women who are not professional actresses. They have passed the artistic auditions, but come from different backgrounds, connected to aviation, aerospace, or extreme sports. There is a pilot, a parachutist, a psychologist and an aerospace doctor, and probably a couple more. These are people who have the professional or technical background to enter a regular cosmonaut selection process. They have been chosen for a reason.

The producers always said that ‘ordinary’ women could apply, and that a small number would be taken to the final stage. But this sub-group are not ‘ordinary’ women. Analysing the situation, it would appear that this sub-group are included as something of an insurance policy. If the medical and physical selection process removes too many of the actresses, perhaps this group are seen as more likely candidates to make it through, due to their different backgrounds, and existing skills, experience and knowledge.

Indeed, maybe a tentative plan exists that one of this group will, at least, be the back-up? The selection will only be the beginning. If a professional actress is cast in the main role, and therefore the prime Soyuz crew, there will still be many tough and daunting challenges ahead. Having a back-up with a different professional background, different skills, a different temperament, but also acting ability, would make a lot of sense.

Once the selection process has been completed, the actress and Shipenko will be assigned to the crew of Soyuz MS-19, which will be commanded by experienced cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov. It is due to launch on 5^th October, so time is tight. This flight will now be the first to launch with two non-professional cosmonauts on board. This milestone was originally planned to occur on Soyuz MS-20, in December 2021, which will carry two paying ‘space tourists’ to the ISS. These plans remain in place, and are not impacted by the movie.

However, other aspects of the Soyuz crew schedule for 2021/22 are impacted. Klim Shipenko and the actress will return to Earth after around twelve days in space on board Soyuz MS-18, along with departing Soyuz commander Oleg Novitisky. However, his crew mates, Peter Dubrov and NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei will have to wait for a future Soyuz crew exchange, in order to return to Earth, in early 2022. Head of the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre, Pavel Vlasov, has said, ‘We will not ask them to do a double shift!’ a reference to a one year stay, ‘So we will bring Soyuz MS-21 forward, by a few weeks.’

Head of Roscosmos, Dmitry Rogozin, who is very much one of the architects of the project, has described the movie project as ‘an experiment’ to see if Roscosmos can prepare two ordinary people for spaceflight in around 3 to 4 months. Rogozin and his colleagues in Glavkosmos, the commercial arm of Roscosmos, want to sell more seats on future Soyuz missions to wealthy tourists, and they know that streamlining the time for training and preparation is key to competing with American players in the market.

One thing is clear though. This project will move quickly now, and we’ll bring further updates, as they emerge.

Words 

© Tony Quine 

Graphics

© Maciej Stolowski

 

Soyuz plans for 2021 - Part 2

Soyuz crewing plans for 2021 now clearer

A few weeks ago, we wrote about the confused state of space crew planning for the three Soyuz flights planned to visit the ISS, this year. (Soyuz plans unclear as Gagarin 60th Anniversary approaches ).  This was comfortably our fastest read Blog yet, with well over 1000 views in the first 24 hours. So, now that the picture is a little clearer, it’s appropriate to summarise how plans have now evolved and been clarified.

Last week, Roscosmos made two announcements about the plans for Soyuz MS-18 (April) and Soyuz MS-19 (October). Firstly, after several weeks of rumours, it was confirmed that NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei would join the crew of MS-19, flying with Oleg Novitisky and Peter Dubrov. As anticipated the deal was brokered by Axiom Space, with the Russians apparently receiving a seat on an American spacecraft, in 2023, in return, with no money actually changing hands.

The unlucky cosmonaut who loses his seat is Sergei Korsakov, and the first planned all-Russian crew to visit the ISS, is also broken up. Korsakov now seems likely to become the first Russian go into space on a new generation American craft, as there is a vacant seat on USCV-3, due to launch in September, although this assignment is unlikely to be confirmed until after USCV-1 has returned safely in early May.

The second announcement concerned the proposed ‘Movie in Space’ announced last October which we covered here but about which little had been heard in the intervening three months. Considering the apparent lack of available Soyuz seats, the uncertain financial arrangements, and a certain degree of political and scientific opposition, many space-watchers had expected the project to quietly fade away.

However, the plans have been firmed up, significantly, with two seats on Soyuz MS-19 now being assigned to the project. One of these should be occupied by the film’s Director and Screenwriter, Klim Shipenko, and the other by an, as yet, unidentified actress. First Channel, the TV company behind the project have identified 20 candidates from an applicant pool of 3000. Incidentally, this is around six times the number of applications received for the last call for professional cosmonauts!

These twenty finalists will now be put through medical, physical and psychological assessments to see whichof them is suitable to go into space. The Cosmonaut Training Centre will undertake this work, and will have the final say, on who flies, in October. Shipenko has said that he also needs to ungo this process, which he has started, but not yet completed.  The women are mostly professional actresses, but First Channel have also said that several come from other backgrounds; a pilot, a parachutist, a psychologist, a scientific researcher. These woman have all passed the artistic audition, and are presumably included as ‘insurance’, just in case none of the professionals make it through the demanding cosmonaut tests. 

Here at the Space Sleuthing Blog, we have worked with contacts in Russia and elsewhere, and we have identified most of these twenty finalists, and this will be the subject of a separate Blog, in the coming days. Shipenko has said that the actress-cosmonaut and a back-up will be named in early-April, although that seems rather optimistic, bearing in mind that some of the candidates don't yet have a date for their medicals to start.  

The commander of Soyuz MS-19 will be Anton Shkaplerov, and he will remain in ISS for an extended stay. The movie people will return to Earth, after a stay of twelve days, with Oleg Novitisky, aboard Soyuz MS-18. This movie related crew will now take the title of the ‘first all-Russian' crew, to visit ISS.

Dubrov and Vande Hei will remain on ISS after October, and will return on Soyuz MS-19, when they are relieved by Soyuz MS-21, in early 2022. Pavel Vlasov, Head of the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre has said that they ‘won’t be completing a double shift’, a reference to a twelve month flight, suggesting a return well before April 2022.  

Before Shkaplerov, Dubrov and Vande Hei make that return, there will be a twelve day visiting mission, the long anticipated double-tourist flight Soyuz MS-20. The detailed plans for this final Soyuz of 2021, MS-20, still remain unannounced. The mission has been arranged by Space Adventures, and was initially to be the first Soyuz flight with two paying Spaceflight Participants. However, Soyuz MS-19, which will now have two non-professional passengers onboard rather dilutes this claim, albeit that the movie crew are not paying for their seats.

It has been clear, for many months, that the commander will be experienced cosmonaut, Alexander Misurkin, who has worked on the development of modified Soyuz control interfaces, to enable the craft to be flown by the commander alone. However, it now seems that these techniques may need to be debuted on Soyuz MS-19, as that will also have only have one professional cosmonaut onboard.

The two Spaceflight Participants (SFP) have not yet been revealed officially, but it has been hinted that an announcement is due, later this month. The Austrian aviator Johanna Maislinger has been linked to this flight, for well over a year, and Space Adventures have always been very cagey when asked about her, never confirming, but never denying anything. Maislinger herself has remained totally silent about her plans and dreams, ignoring, or side-stepping media questions and interest. 

However, in March 2021, she appeared on a German TV documentary, which followed her undertaking her job as a Boeing 777 airline captain. Although there was no dialogue about spaceflight, there was an intriguing on-screen caption "Will irgendwenn als Astronautin ins All" - "Wants someday, as an astronaut, to go into space"

However, we now know that in late 2020, Maislinger had a mishap, in which she sustained multiple fractures. Although she returned to her flying job, in January 2021, it is possible that these injuries have derailed her spaceflight plans. Even if she has to relinquish her place, Johanna Maislinger’s prominence, in the media, during the build up to this flight has probably cemented her place in Space Tourism folklore!

For many months, rumours suggested that the second SFP would be a Japanese woman, and in early March, the name of Yumi Matsutoya, a famous singer and musician, in her own counrty, emerged. It was possible to triangulate this name through sources in Japan, Russia and Europe. Space Adventures gave 'no comment' in response to sharing Matsutoya’s name with them.

She was also identifed and reported in the Russian media by respected agency RIA Novosti. The only factor which throws up a doubt about this name, is that Matsutoya is 67 years old, which would make her, comfortably, the oldest woman in space. However, our Japanese source confirmed that she is known for being very fit and healthy, and she has haboured the dream of spaceflight since visiting the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre back in 1990, when the above image was taken. 

Of course, we cannot rule out the scenario that it my have suited Space Adventures to allow these names to circulate widely, in order to deflect attention from their other clients. However, this would not explain how, or why, Maislinger and Matsutoya themselves have also allowed their names to become linked to Soyuz MS-20! 

It is likely that Space Adventures will also want to name at least one back-up SFP. They will want to a degreehave operational, and financial, resilience within what is a complex, high value financial and business transation.

With plans for Soyuz MS-18 and Soyuz MS-19 now fairly clear, it would will be good to see the Soyuz MS-20 crew, and their objectives while on the ISS, revealed shortly.

© Tony Quine  March 2021