“Russian Rocket’s Second Chance: Astronauts Blast Off to ISS After Drama-Filled Delay”
So, it looks like the Russian Soyuz rocket decided to give it another go after its little temper tantrum the other day. I mean, who can blame it for wanting a do-over? We’ve all had those moments where we just need to take a step back, breathe, and try again.
This time around, the Soyuz rocket successfully launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, carrying three astronauts to the International Space Station. NASA astronaut Tracy Dyson, Russian Oleg Novitskiy, and someone else who I’m sure is equally important but let’s be real, we only care about the Americans and Russians here.
The crew members are expected to arrive at the ISS after a two-orbit, three-hour journey. I can barely handle a three-hour car ride without losing my mind, so I can’t even imagine being stuck in a tiny spacecraft hurtling through space for that long. Kudos to them for having the patience of saints.
Once they arrive at the ISS, they’ll be joining the current residents of the space station. I hope they brought some snacks with them because I’ve heard the food up there is about as appetizing as a cardboard sandwich.
During their six-month stay, the crew will be conducting scientific research, maintenance, and spacewalks. I don’t know about you, but I can barely change a lightbulb without falling off a ladder, so I have no idea how these astronauts are out there fixing stuff in zero gravity.
They’ll also be welcoming some visiting spacecraft, including the SpaceX Crew Dragon and Northrop Grumman Cygnus cargo ships. It’s like a cosmic Uber pool up there, with all these different vehicles coming and going.
Overall, the successful launch of the Russian Soyuz rocket shows that international cooperation in space exploration is still going strong. Despite all the chaos happening down here on Earth, it’s nice to know that up in space, people from different countries can still come together and work towards a common goal.
So here’s to Tracy, Oleg, and that other guy – may your journey be smooth, your experiments fruitful, and your spacewalks drama-free. And if you happen to spot any aliens out there, tell them we say hi.
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Source: The Associated Press
URL: https://apnews.com/article/russia-space-soyuz-iss-726b9300c0662a9951de86a81d9db030