OREANDA-NEWS The Russian unmanned Soyuz MS-23 spacecraft, on which cosmonauts Sergei Prokopyev and Dmitry Petelin, as well as astronaut Frank Rubio, will return to Earth, will be launched to the International Space Station (ISS) on February 20. This was reported by Roscosmos in the Telegram channel.

"The launch of the Soyuz-2.1a launch vehicle with Soyuz MS-23 is on February 20 at 04:57 Moscow Time," the message says.

It is noted that sections of the ship's solar cells were deployed at Baikonur and irradiated with lamps to control the efficiency of converting light energy into electrical energy. Specialists are also completing the installation of equipment and equipment in the household compartment and the descent vehicle. Earlier in January, Roscosmos reported that the ISS orbit was raised to create ballistic conditions for the undocking of Soyuz MS-22 and the launch of Soyuz MS-23. In the same month, pre-flight tests of the Soyuz MS-23 spacecraft began at Baikonur. It will be launched in unmanned mode with cargo delivery to the ISS.

On December 15, it became known that a depressurization of the temperature control system occurred on the Soyuz MS-22 ship.