Russia launches from US for first time in 20 years

For the first time in 20 years, Russian astronauts have taken off from the United States, along with NASA and Japanese astronauts to the International Space Station, despite tensions over the war in Ukraine.

Their SpaceX flight was delayed by Hurricane Ian, which swept across the state last week.

“I hope that with this launch, we will light up the Florida skies for everyone,” said Koichi Wakata of the Japan Space Agency, who is on its fifth spaceflight.

Joining him on the five-month mission are three new astronauts: Navy Captain Nicole Mann, the first Native American woman to enter orbit; Navy Captain Josh Kasada; and Russia’s only female Astronaut Anna Kina.

They will arrive at the space station on Thursday and will not return to Earth until March, 29 hours after leaving NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. They are replacing the American-Italian crew who arrived in April.

Ms. Kikina is Roscosmos’ swap with NASA’s Frank Rubio, who launched from Kazakhstan to the space station on a Soyuz rocket two weeks ago. He flew up with two astronauts.

The space agencies agreed over the summer to swap seats on their flights to ensure a continued U.S. and Russian presence on the 260-mile-high outpost. The barter trade was authorized even as global hostilities intensified over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in late February. The next crew exchange is in the spring.

Shortly before liftoff, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said the key reason for the seat swap was safety — that in the event of an emergency that forced the crew of one capsule to go home, there would still be Americans and Russians on board.

Meanwhile, Russian space official Sergei Krikalev assured reporters this week that Russia remains committed to the space station until at least 2024.

Russia hopes to build its own space station in orbit later this decade, he said, “but we know that’s not going to happen anytime soon, so we’ll probably keep flying with NASA”.

Beginning with Mr. Krikalev in 1994, NASA began flying astronauts on its space shuttles, first to Russia’s Mir space station, and then to the fledgling space station.

The Columbia reentry disaster of 2003 ended it. But American astronauts continue to fly on Russian rockets, each worth tens of millions of dollars.

Ms. Kikina is the fifth Russian woman to fly off Earth. She said she was surprised to be selected for the seat swap after encountering “many trials and hurdles” during her ten years of training. “But I did. Maybe I was lucky. I was strong,” she said.

Col Mann is a Wailacki member of the Round Valley Indian Tribes in California and picked up her mother’s dream catcher, a small traditional mesh hoop thought to provide protection.

In 2002, retired NASA astronaut John Herrington of the Chickasaw Nation became the first Native American to go into space.

“I’m proud to represent Native Americans and my heritage,” Col Mann said before the flight, adding that everyone on her crew has a unique background.

“It’s important to celebrate our diversity and realize how important we can achieve incredible things when we work together and unite.”

As for the war in Ukraine, Colonel Mann said that all four put aside their political and personal beliefs, “it’s really cool how the common mission of the space station brings us together immediately”.

Capt Cassada added: “We have the opportunity to be role models for society and learn how to work, live and explore together.”

Elon Musk’s SpaceX has now launched eight crew members since 2020: six for NASA and two for private groups. NASA’s other contracted taxi service, Boeing, is planning its maiden astronaut flight early next year after delays in fixing software and other problems that arose during the test flight.