Russia Approves Flight of Two Japanese Tourists to ISS, Marking Return to Space Tourism

BAIKONUR (Sputnik) - The Russian state commission has authorised the launch of a Soyuz-2.1a rocket with a Soyuz MS-20 spacecraft, which will carry two Japanese space tourists, Yusaku Maezawa and Yozo Hirano, along with famous Russian cosmonaut, Alexander Misurkin, into orbit on Wednesday, Roscosmos said on Tuesday. "The State Commission has appointed the prime and backup crews of the Soyuz MS-20 manned spacecraft. In addition, the readiness of the Soyuz-2 rocket and ground infrastructure has been confirmed for launch on December 8," Roscosmos said in a statement. The launch of the spacecraft with businessman Maezawa, his assistant Hirano and the professional Russian cosmonaut is scheduled for 10:38 Moscow time (07:38 GMT) on Wednesday. Docking with the International Space Station will take place at 16:41 Moscow time (13:41 GTM). The crew is expected to return to Earth on 20 December. The tourists will participate in the scientific program on the station, as well as carry out assignments from the list of "100 Things You Want MZ To Do In Space!". Merzawa and Hiran will film everything they do and upload it to YouTube. The crew will also bring to the station New Year's gifts for the Russian crew members, prop for their missions, as well as dishes of Japanese cuisine adapted for consumption in space. Maezawa and Hirano will become the first tourists in 12 years to fly to the ISS in a Soyuz spacecraft. In 2001-2009, Soyuz spacecraft delivered seven tourists to the ISS under contracts with the American space tourism company, Space Adventures. The crew twice included the American entrepreneur Charles Simonyi. According to various sources, the tourists paid $20-40 million for their space flights. In September, Sergey Kostenko, the head of the Russian office of Space Adventures, said that the flight of Japanese tourists on a Soyuz spacecraft will cost around $50 million. Nowadays, tourists can also get into space on SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft or on the New Shepard by Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin. Read more: https://sputniknews.com/20211207/russia-approves-flight-of-two-japanese-tourists-to-iss-marking-return-to-space-tourism-1091312632.html