Lukashenko spoke with ISS-71/VE-21 main crew members via video link
The President of Belarus, Aleksandr Lukashenko, has held today a video conference call with the ISS-71/VE-21 main crew members: a representative of our country Marina Vasilevskaya and pilot-cosmonaut Oleg Novitsky (crew commander). The day after tomorrow the Soyuz MS-25 spacecraft will deliver them into orbit. The crew also includes NASA astronaut Tracy Caldwell Dyson.
“Oleg, a question for you as a commander: how are you and our lead character feeling?” Aleksandr Lukashenko asked Oleg Novitsky.
“Marina’s spirit is very high: she is calm, focused on work and on fulfilling the project as a whole. Thank you very much that the choice fell on Marina,” replied the crew commander.
“I’ll just ask you (since there’s an American segment at the station) to make sure the Americans don’t take her into their segment,” Aleksandr Lukashenko joked. “We need her on Earth later.”
“Of course, we’ll return her safe and sound,” Oleg Novitsky responded.
The final preparations for the flight are now underway at the Baikonur Cosmodrome. A meeting of the State Commission will take place tomorrow, which will approve the results of pre-launch preparation. The launch of the spacecraft is scheduled for March 21st, 16:21 Moscow time.
During the short-term space flight to the ISS, the Belarusian flight participant will conduct a scientific programme, developed by Belarus’ National Academy of Sciences together with the Roscosmos State Corporation and the Russian Academy of Sciences. In particular, the scientific research will concentrate on biology, physiology, and Earth remote sensing using Belarus-made photo and video spectral equipment located on the ISS.
