Today, the Russian Space Agency has officially announced that it has reached a seat swap agreement with SpaceX, and the female astronaut will take off on the Crew Dragon spacecraft by 2022.
According to foreign media, Roscosmos Director Dmitry Rogozin (Dmitry Rogozin) said on Wednesday, local time, that the agency had achieved a seat swap agreement with SpaceX. In 2022, Anna Kikina, an astronaut, will pilot the manned Dragon spacecraft to the International Space Station.
After the NASA space shuttle was retired in 2011, the International Space Station could only be reached by the Soyuz spacecraft. Russia had earlier doubts about receiving the US spacecraft, citing SpaceX’s lack of experience. According to Rogozin, the situation has altered now that SpaceX has completed four manned flights.
SpaceX launched the first two astronauts to the International Space Station as part of the first human demonstration flight in May 2020. NASA conducted the Crew-1 and Crew-2 “commercial astronaut” flights in November 2020 and April 2021, respectively.
In September, SpaceX successfully completed “Inspiration 4”, the first orbital voyage by a private crew made up of non-professional astronauts. Rogozin claimed at the end of October that Elon Musk’s SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft had passed rigorous tests and that Russian astronauts might be able to take them into orbit in a seat exchange project.
Russian astronauts will begin flying on the Crew Dragon spacecraft no later than the fall of 2022, according to Sergey Krikalyov, executive director of the Roscosmos manned space program. American astronauts will begin to use the Russian alliance no later than the fall of 2022. The spacecraft was launched into orbit.
Rogozin and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk have long had a quarrel throughout the years. However, Rogozin’s subsequent acts suggest that the two have reconciled. In other words, NASA, SpaceX, and Russia are all willing to work together to launch humans into space, which encourages future space travel.
SpaceX has performed multiple manned missions to the International Space Station over the last few years, demonstrating that its Crew Dragon spacecraft is ready to enter full operational mode. However, it appears unlikely that it will totally replace the Russian Soyuz spacecraft in the near future.
Conclusively, Roscosmos Director Dmitry Rogozin noted that:
“In our opinion, SpaceX has gained enough experience to allow our astronauts to board the Crew Dragon spacecraft. Our astronaut Fundna is expected to perform space missions in 2022, and she will board the US The spacecraft goes to the International Space Station, and as part of the seat change plan, we will use the Soyuz spacecraft to send an American astronaut into space.”
“Our beautiful female astronaut will start our space-switching flight plan.” He added.
