Russia postpones launch of Soyuz spacecraft with Belarusian on board

January 19, Pozirk. Russia’s Roscosmos state-run space agency has announced another postponement of the Soyuz MS-25 launch, with a new date set for March 21.

Its crew consists of Oleg Novitsky representing Roscosmos, Belarusian Maryna Vasileŭskaja and NASA astronaut Tracy Dyson. The launch was initially scheduled for March 2023 but was postponed several times.

Vasileŭskaja, a flight attendant at Belarus’ flagship carrier Biełavija (Belavia), was picked for the flight to the International Space Station in late May 2023. Belarusian surgeon Anastasija Lankova was named as a substitute.

Six female candidates have passed the medical tests required for the space flight.