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RSC Energia: General Designer's Review

February 26, 2015

On Thursday, February 25, RSC Energia (included in State Corporation ROSCOSMOS) held a session of the General Designer's Review Board for the Russian Segment (RS) of the International Space Station (ISS).

Following the introductory speech of RSC Energia General Designer, Evgeny Mikrin, the General Designer's Review Board reviewed the launch readiness of manned transportation spacecraft "Soyuz ТМА-20М" and launch vehicle "Soyuz-FG", and readiness of the ISS, launch and measuring complexes, LOCT and MCC equipment and personnel, search and rescue vehicles, crew medical support, the crews of Expeditions ISS-47/48 for the upcoming activities.

RSC Energia General Designer for Manned Space Systems, Sergei Romanov reported on the implementation of the program of the ISS space transportation support, readiness of spacecraft 'Soyuz ТМА-18М' for its flight completion, progress of prelaunch processing of the manned transportation spacecraft 'Soyuz ТМА-20М', and presented the ISS space transportation and engineering support program for the upcoming period.

RSC Energia First Deputy General Designer, Vladimir Soloviev presented the results of the ISS flight, performance of science experiments and further work plans. He pointed out that the condition of the onboard systems and resources available on the Russian Segment of the ISS, the ground control assets, mission control personnel are ready for the launch of Soyuz TMA-20M on March 19, 2016, and the beginning of the next ISS Increment.

Reports on the readiness of all spacecraft and station systems were also made by chief designers, responsible representatives of RSC Energia and associate contractors.

Reviewed were the readiness of launch vehicle Soyuz-FG to launch spacecraft Soyuz ТМА-20М; the readiness of the launch site and ground infrastructure for upcoming operations with Soyuz ТМА-20М. A conclusion on the readiness of the MCC-M hardware and personnel for activities on the launch of Soyuz TMA-20M was made, and the readiness of search and rescue vehicles was reported. The representative of the Institute of Biomedical Problems of RAS reported on health status of the ISS-46 crews working aboard the ISS and being trained for the flight (ISS-47/48). The deputy head of the Cosmonaut Training Center Maxim Kharlamov confirmed that the crew members are ready to fulfill the upcoming program of activities on the ISS.

Leading Institute TsNIIMash issued a conclusion on the technical readiness of the rocket and space complex Soyuz-FG/Soyuz TMA-20M to the implementation of the ISS flight program activities.

Summarizing the results of the session, the General Designer's Review Board approved RSC Energia proposals to return the crew consisting of Russian cosmonauts Sergey Volkov, Mikhail Kornienko and American astronaut Scott Kelly (М.Kornienko and S.Kelly will return after a one-year flight) on Soyuz TMA-18M on March 2, 2016. Approved was the outstanding activities plan to prepare for launch on March 19, 2016 of Soyuz TMA-20M and on the delivery of the prime expedition crew consisting of three crew members to the ISS; and proposals on authorization to the ISS RS to proceed with the program of the next phase of the ISS operations. The ISS-47/48 prime crew consists of Russian cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin and Oleg Skripochka, as well as NASA astronaut Jeffrey Williams.

The meeting was attended by representatives of State Corporation ROSCOSMOS, URSC, foreign space agencies, companies of rocket and space industry and some other organizations involved in the ISS program.

OAO RSC Energia: the leader in the rocket and space industry, and the prime contractor for manned space systems. The Corporation conducts work on the development of unmanned space and rocket systems (launch vehicles and orbital transfer vehicles), and high-technology systems for various non-space applications. Since August 2014, the Corporation is headed by Vladimir Lvovich Solntsev.