Progress MS-35 Arrival Report with Bonus Cargo Interface Insights
I got distracted by Soyuz-5 celebrations, but the flight report on the Progress MS-35 arrival to the ISS is now completed, PLUS exclusive bonus content on the interfaces of cargo ships for our subscribers: https://t.co/01tbwAznxP https://t.co/bXAgUyZpsu
First Full Video of Soyuz‑5 Processing at Baikonur
The first video showing all key processing operations during the Soyuz-5 launch campaign in Baikonur: https://t.co/gSfpQV4rgq
Soyuz‑5 Launch Caps Decade‑Long Russo‑Kazakh Collaboration
In a post-script to Soyuz-5 inaugural launch, it worth mentioning that the flight was a culmination of a winding path not only for the rocket development project (starting in 2016), but also for the Russo-Kazakh Baiterek venture, rooted as far...
US Space Force Flags Six Russian Satellites, Two as Debris
The US Space Force identifies six satellites after a secretive Russian launch on April 17. Two objects are determined to be debris, possibly resulting from an anomaly. DETAILS, CONTEXT: https://t.co/WhEALPrNIZ
New Illustration Reveals Soyuz‑5/Fregat‑SB/SBU Variant Details
...and here is my depiction of the Soyuz-5/Fregat-SB/SBU variant (with a few other details added). CONTEXT: https://t.co/riA97mUUmB https://t.co/Kp9RKpWz7D
Soyuz‑5 Launches From Baikonur on Debut Flight
The first Soyuz-5 rocket, designed to replace Zenit, reported lifting off from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on its inaugural test mission. FLIGHT DETAILS, UPDATES: https://t.co/roiCzko73d https://t.co/WKcx7PubdF
ISS Spacewalk to Install Sun‑Watching Teragerts Telescope May 27
TASS now confirms that the installation of the Teragerts experiment is planned during a spacewalk aboard the International Space Station on May 27. The Sun-watching telescope was delivered to the outpost with Progress MS-33: https://t.co/OewEuTieGZ https://t.co/P7IADBZ8L2
Soyuz‑5 Launch Window Opens Amid Ongoing Ground Issues
HINTS & RUMORS: The Soyuz-5 launch window is now open for today but the personnel in Baikonur apparently still working through issues...
Soyuz-5 Delays Echo Soyuz-2’s Five‑launch Failures
Those who losing patience with the Soyuz-5 might be interested to re-read our coverage 20 years ago of the notorious Soyuz-2/MetOp inaugural mission from Baikonur, which involved... five failed launch attempts: https://t.co/sO7SqYRt2Q https://t.co/wtHUQsyECC
Falcon Heavy Marks 2026’s 100th Orbital Launch
Looks like the world’s 100th orbital launch of 2026 is taken by Falcon Heavy: https://t.co/yCL4rRL7Ik https://t.co/X0alLwYITd
Soyuz‑5 Launch Delayed Again Amid Technical Glitches
According to utterly unofficial rumors, there were plans to launch Soyuz-5 today, but the inaugural flight had to be postponed again due to technical issues... Context: https://t.co/w5Hd8ypNxo https://t.co/1MAzdqXQJL
Soyuz-2-1a Launches Progress MS-34 to ISS
Soyuz-2-1a lifts off from Baikonur with Progress MS-34 cargo ship on a resupply mission to the ISS Updates: https://t.co/8Qt00BeHUP https://t.co/bSvvvUDWCH
Russia Prepares Another Sarmat ICBM Test After Failure
It appears that another launch attempt is planned for the troubled Sarmat ICBM from Dombarovsky/Yasny deployment area: https://t.co/Jp0mtejWzK https://t.co/b4NVoZ5Ezn
Soyuz Tower Demolished, Repurposed for Maia Rocket
There are reports about the demolition of the service tower at the Soyuz launch pad in Kourou, French Guiana. It looks like this supposed video was badly squeezed horizontally. In 2024, the mothballed facility was re-assigned for the European Maia...
New Visuals Reveal URM-2 and URM-1 Adapters for Angara‑5
Rollout visuals released after today's Angara-1.2 launch, showed the URM-2 booster (bottom left) and an adapter for the core version of the URM-1 (bottom right) all required for the assembly of the Angara-5 variant: https://t.co/yFPl9kzmTN https://t.co/bTcyhQqEUF
Progress MS-34 Rolls to Baikonur Pad for Saturday Launch
A Soyuz-2-1a rocket with the Progress MS-34 cargo ship reached the launch pad at Site 31 in Baikonur this morning, in preparation for a liftoff on the night from Saturday to Sunday and a two-day trip to the ISS: https://t.co/RJw3e4HJ5Y...
Progress MS-32 Departs ISS, Begins Destructive Re‑entry
Progress MS-32 departed the ISS for a destructive plunge into the Earth's atmosphere. FULL HISTORY OF THE MISSION: https://t.co/enMBZ6EjHi
Progress MS-34 Cleared, Prepped for Soyuz Launch April 22
Progress MS-34 cargo ship went through final inspection and was rolled inside payload fairing, ahead of its integration with the Soyuz rocket on April 22, according to Roskosmos. Context: https://t.co/7CRrXKhOEn https://t.co/L5U5JOljRS
New Glenn Misses Orbit, Yet First Stage Lands Perfectly
Today's launch of the New Glenn launcher delivered a communications satellite into a wrong (not clear if recoverable) orbit, but the rocket's 1st stage completed spectacular landing on a vessel in the Atlantic: https://t.co/fEDhJHdU3S
ROS Complex Assembly Complete, Roskosmos’ 2030s Ceiling
...And this is the "initial assembly complete" architecture for the ROS complex, which is probably the most we can expect from Roskosmos in the first half of the 2030s: CONTEXT: https://t.co/wVxTkUEbNa https://t.co/P8mCC1RKFr
Progress MS-32 Adjusts ISS Orbit for Soyuz Missions
Progress MS-32 conducts ISS orbit correction in preparation for Soyuz MS-28 landing and Soyuz MS-29 launch. DETAILS: https://t.co/pRxO5i4W6h https://t.co/67eNSveV1q
Soyuz‑5 Launch Window Closes Amid Swirling Rumors
The inaugural launch of the new Soyuz-5 launch vehicle approaches the end of its available window without any official news, so I tried to untangle a morass of rumors and hints about the zig-zag path to flight for our subscribers:...
Progress MS-34 Fueled for April 26 ISS Resupply
Roskosmos reports completion of propellant and pressurized gases loading aboard Progress MS-34 spacecraft in preparation for ISS resupply mission on April 26: https://t.co/RJw3e4HJ5Y https://t.co/LELndrx6iy
Russian Space Exec Arrested, Continuing Crackdown on Industry Leaders
Nikolai Testoedov, frm. head of ISS Reshetnev, Russia's prime developer of military satellites, is under house arrest due to criminal probe at the company. He joins a long list of top Russian space executives who faced criminal charges in recent...
Rare Photos Reveal N1 Prototype Assembly and Pad Tests
A few new photos of the 1M1 non-flying prototype of the N1 rocket had surfaced on the Internet, documenting the vehicle during experimental assembly and on-pad fit tests. CONTEXT: https://t.co/LXWHDWCazM https://t.co/AwX1iqo78x
Soyuz‑5 Launch Window Slips as Issues Persist
Launch opportunities for the inaugural flight of the Soyuz-5 rocket are reported to be open until April 20, but more than a day after the first window, there is no official word on the status of the mission, as specialists...
Russia Claims Moon Territories Tied to Rosatom’s Selena Project
Russian officials began talking about "setting aside sovereign territories" on the Moon for Moscow. These seemingly far-fetched claims are linked to the Selena nuclear-power station project from Rosatom which we profile for our subscribers today: https://t.co/DJXLghOrrU https://t.co/SB4D5byjTG
MGU Revives Apophis Mission as Modern Cubesat
Moscow State University, MGU (my alma mater;) suddenly revived the idea of a mission to Apophis, but now in a cubesat form. No mention of the original project from two decades ago, but https://t.co/5Uo4JA9Xcu uniquely preserves the context: https://t.co/oNmeevbzhR https://t.co/nNmr4JJzyS
Funding Cuts Kill Reusable Angara Rocket Plans
...Last but not least, all attempts to develop a reusable version of the Angara rocket are now dead due to absence of funding for that purpose in the newly approved budget, Khrunichev official said. CONTEXT: https://t.co/Mp292k3hJC https://t.co/ENtbupoBsX
Angara-5M to Launch PTK Prototype by 2028
Upgraded Angara-5M rocket is now promised to fly with a development prototype of the PTK crew vehicle during a 2027-2028 period (a delay from 2025). Context and full story: https://t.co/ithnEIbQfV https://t.co/g9fUBxzoNz
First Human Orbital Flight Marks 65-Year Milestone
65 YEARS AGO TODAY: The first human reaches Earth's orbit FULL STORY (and my reconstruction of the event): https://t.co/l1fyUe3ztw https://t.co/KqZ4ndMNXk
Russian Launch Warnings Deliberately Obscure Exact Liftoff Timing
That would explain why recent danger zone warnings ahead of Russian launches have longer time windows and their start time does not match the liftoff time, so to complicate the determination of a moment when the fueled vehicle is on...
305th ISS Resupply Mission Launches in 2026
The 2nd cargo-supply mission of 2026 departed for the International Space Station. This is the 305th flight to assemble and maintain the ISS since its start in 1998: https://t.co/z0hQPyDt9P
New Plan Unveiled for Assembling Post‑ISS Russian Space Complex
The latest scenario for the assembly of the post-ISS ROS complex from Roskosmos and its prime piloted spacecraft developer RKK Energia. Context: https://t.co/81bSOWHp9D https://t.co/5GW8HQkApg
Russian Lunar Launch Delays Repeatedly Rehashed, Yet Unchanged
Russia media quote a RAN official today about the latest delay of Russian lunar missions, however all these "new" dates had already been known since at least January and reported here... and will certainly be delayed again: https://t.co/oxFsJRelFu
Russian “Starlink” Satellites Begin Maneuvering, Developer Remains Silent
A couple of "Russian Starlinks" from the 16-bird group showed first signs of maneuvers, based on the US data, but there has been no word from the developer about the status of the mission since its launch on March 23. UPDATES:...
New Visual Backdrops Reveal Unbuilt Soviet Lunar Dreams
This week, I got so many new backgrounds for my visualizations of unrealized Soviet and Russian lunar exploration projects:
NASA Chief Showcases Soviet Voskhod‑2 Inflatable Airlock
NASA administrator's photo-tour of a space museum starts with an exhibit of the Soviet Voskhod-2 spacecraft featuring inflatable airlock (not a cosmonaut-shooting gun): https://t.co/UyIwE1iyL1
New ROS Guide Adds Outpost Thermal-Control System
Expanding our exclusive technical guide to the ROS complex with the introduction to the outpost's thermal-control system (subscription). CONTEXT: Home page for the ROS project: https://t.co/81bSOWHp9D https://t.co/upduOMWNYd
Soyuz-2-1a Launches Military Payload From Plesetsk
A Soyuz-2-1a rocket launched military payload from Plesetsk at 9:28 MSK today, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense. Developing story: https://t.co/RigHJQbcKJ https://t.co/HKeC4ADywg
Roscosmos Chooses Modern Start‑1M as Light‑Weight Launcher
Roskosmos now positions Start-1M vehicle, (converted from Topol-M ICBM) as its prime candidate for a light-weight launcher through the Novy Start venture. Compare it to the Start-1 vehicle from the 1990s, based on previous-generation Topol. Context: https://t.co/qfFQGn2e0c https://t.co/rP18aP5xVL
US Space Force Confirms Russian Starlink Satellites Stay Near Rocket
Thanks to the US Space Force, there is finally tracking data for the "Russian Starlink" group, indicating that all 16 satellites are in their nearly original orbit, a few kilometers above the third stage of the Soyuz-2 rocket, which had...
Progress MS-35 Cargo Ship Heads to Baikonur for Sep 9 Launch
Progress MS-35 cargo ship, with a projected launch date of September 9, is on its way to Baikonur Cosmodrome after completion of assembly, according to Roskosmos. Context: https://t.co/kJIE9Wqspo https://t.co/pmHoAslwPB
Three Crews in Space, Artemis II Heads to Moon
In the unique moment in history, three crews are in space, including two on Earth-orbiting space stations and, for the first time, one simultaneously heading to the vicinity of the Moon. But things are not good on Earth, so only...
SLS Launches Orion Crew, First Moon‑bound Flight Since 1972
The SLS rocket lifts off with the Orion spacecraft and a crew of four on a mission to the vicinity of the Moon for the first time since the Apollo-17 expedition in 1972: https://t.co/biWISWldtE https://t.co/3pTosP7Qwk
Roscosmos Confirms Post‑ISS Station Built From New ISS Modules
Speaking at the Federation Council, Roskosmos chief also confirmed that the post-ISS station would be assembled at ISS out of (New) Node, Science & Power and Airlock modules (as I illustrated back in 2021 ;) Context: https://t.co/wVxTkUEbNa https://t.co/zOHPUfG7hC
Roscosmos Confirms First Methane‑Oxygen Engine Test Fired
According to Roskosmos chief, the "first firing of the methane-oxygen engine (presumably the RD-0177M demonstrator) took place just last week" (which would make it between March 23 and 29). Context: https://t.co/RwOb1eWwT3 https://t.co/lZc1VCXbeJ
Krikalev Vows Orel Descent Module Replica for Drop Tests
Since the beginning of the year, Roskosmos officials had made a couple of "proof of life" statements regarding the decade-late PTK Orel spacecraft. The latest being Sergei Krikalev's promise to complete a high-fidelity copy of the Descent Module, VA, for...
Plesetsk Launch Planned Early April to 63° Inclination
Local warnings and at least one NOTAM indicate an upcoming launch from Plesetsk between April 1 and 15 to an orbit with an inclination 63 degrees toward the Equator: https://t.co/EhSC0xsQVM https://t.co/E7nBV3xpBV
Soyuz‑5 Launch Delayed to March 29, Flight Early April
The rollout of the first Soyuz-5 rocket to launch pad Site 45 in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, was postponed from today to March 29, in turn, pushing its inaugural flight to April 2, at the earliest, according to Kazakh media. Context: https://t.co/DBcHRiQe36 https://t.co/S8p6AAE3IL