A source in the rocket and space industry said that Russian cosmonaut Alexander Skvortsov is planned to be appointed commander of the crew of the Soyuz spacecraft with two space tourists for a flight to the ISS in 2023, RIA Novosti reports.
“Currently, Skvortsov is duplicating Alexander Misurkin, who will fly to the ISS in December this year on the Soyuz MS-20 with two Japanese tourists. It is expected that Skvortsov will become the commander of the “Union”, which, together with two tourists, will go to the station in 2023, ” he said.
Recall that the launch of the Soyuz MS-20 spacecraft by the Soyuz-2.1 a carrier rocket from the Baikonur cosmodrome is scheduled for December 8.
Russia plans to withdraw from the ISS project from 2025 and build its own orbital station. It was not excluded that the United States could transfer responsibility for the Russian segment of the International Space Station.
The cooperation of the United States and Russia in space is unique and should not stop, said the head of NASA, Bill Nelson.