International Space Station
The Soyuz spacecraft connected with the International Space Station after a four-hour journey that began with a successful launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Soyuz ferried Russian actress Yulia Peresild and director Klim Shipenko to the station along with veteran cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov, who commanded the capsule. Peresild and Shipenko will spend 12 days shooting scenes for a space movie called “The Challenge”.During a welcome ceremony on the space station, Peresild received a congratulatory call from famous cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova, who became the first woman in space in 1963 in the Vostok 6 mission.
The two will spend 12 days on board the station filming "The Challenge" with Peresild in the role of a surgeon sent to the space station to treat a cosmonaut suffering from a heart attack during a spacewalk. Cosmonaut Oleg Novitsky will play the sick cosmonaut. Most of the shooting will take place in the Russian segment of the space station, but some scenes will be shot in the Earth observation dome, which is connected to the US segment's Tranquility Node.
The two participants in the flight will need to be escorted when out of the Russian segment of the station. Novitsky and Pyotr Dubrov filmed the approach of the Soyuz capsule from the space station. Dubrov and Shkaplerov are also expected to appear in the film. The crew will return to Earth on October 17 together with Novitsky. To accommodate the film project, the first professional film shot at the space station, the missions of Dubrov and American astronaut Mark Vande Hei, who arrived with Novitsky in April, had to be extended by six months.
International Space Station: Live updates
The International Space Station has been orbiting Earth since 1998, serving as a research platform for NASA astronauts and its international partners: the Russian Space Agency Roscosmos, the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).
Live now: A Russian film crew is arriving at the station today, Oct. 5, for a 12-day movie shoot on the orbiting lab.
Typically, six or seven astronauts (or cosmonauts) inhabits the International Space Station at any given time, although the orbiting laboratory has accommodated up to 13 crewmembers before. Most astronauts spend six months at the orbiting lab, though occasionally a crewmember has remained in orbit for up to a year.
Expedition 65, the 65th and current long-duration mission to the International Space Station, began in April 2021. Here we'll provide live updates on what the Expedition 65 crew has been up to, from visiting vehicles to spacewalks and more.
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2021-10-05T15:32:56.256ZRussian film crew boards space stationRussian actress Yulia Peresild and producer-director Klim Shipenko have entered the International Space Station with their cosmonaut guide Anton Shkaplerov to begin their 12-day movie shoot in orbit.
The trio entered the station's Rassvet module at about 11 a.m. EDT (1500 GMT), jus about 6 hours after launching into orbit on their Soyuz rocket. They joined seven other crewmembers already aboard the station, including Expedition 65 cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy, who will appear in the film Peresild and Shipenko are shooting. It's called 'The Challenge,' with Peresild portraying a surgeon sent into orbit to help a cosmonaut (Novitskiy) in medical distress.
'I still feel that it's all a dream and I'm still asleep,' Peresild, 37, told Russia's Channel One during a welcome ceremony on the station.
Shipenko agreed.
'Yes, it's almost impossible to think that this all came to reality,' the 38-year-old director said.
During the welcome ceremony, Peresild received a congratulatory call from Valentina Tereshkova, who became the first woman in space in 1963 on the Vostok 6 mission.
'It was extremely emotional for everyone, from sadness to happiness,' Tereshkova said of the launch in Russian, which was translated on NASA TV. 'We're very proud of you,' she added, saying she had only one wish for the crew.
'Everything should go nominal, that's our best wish,' Tereshkova said. 'We want all your dreams to come true and we'll be waiting for you back here on Earth.'
2021-10-05T14:47:58.778ZHatch Opening UnderwayAstronauts on the International Space Station are now working to open the hatches between the station and the Soyuz MS-19 spacecraft, allowing the Russian film crew to enter the orbiting lab.
2021-10-05T13:50:19.433ZSpace station hatch opening delayedRussian mission control officials have told the station and Soyuz crews that hatch opening will occur in about an hour, a bit later than planned.
We're awaiting a new hatch opening target time from NASA.
2021-10-05T13:36:25.346ZRussian film crew to enter space stationThe Russian film crew that launched to the International Space Station today on a Soyuz spacecraft is preparing to enter the orbiting laboratory for the first time. Hatches between the space station and their Soyuz MS-19 are due to be opened at 10:05 a.m. EDT (1405 GMT).
You can watch the hatch opening and a welcome ceremony live in the NASA TV video feed at the top of this page.
2021-10-05T13:08:24.391ZAmazing views of Soyuz docking with Russian film crewToday's successful docking of a Russian film crew at the International Space Station had some star quality of its own. As the Soyuz MS-19 spacecraft carrying Russian actress Yulia Peresild, director Klim Shipenko and cosmonaut Anton Shklaperov neared the station, a camera on the orbiting lab captured spectacular views of the approaching spacecraft.
Check out the views in the video above!
2021-10-05T12:44:48.233ZDocking! Soyuz delivers Russian film crew to space stationImage 1 of 3
The Soyuz MS-19 spacecraft carrying a Russian actress and her producer/director has successfully docked at the International Space Station. It linked up with a port on the station's Rassvet module at 8:22 a.m. EDT (1222 GMT), about 10 minutes later than planned after communications issues forced cosmonaut Anton Shklaperov to take manual control of the Soyuz for the docking.
Despite the communications issue, Shklaperov docked the Soyuz at its port to deliver Russian actress Yulia Peresild and producer-director Klim Shipenko to the station. The duo will film scenes for an upcoming space film called 'The Challenge,' with Peresild portraying a surgeon launched into space to help an ailing cosmonaut, to be portrayed by cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy, who is already aboard the space station.
'So the Soyuz MS-19's safely at port, and a Russian actress and her producer-director are on set at the International Space Station for 12 days of movie making,' NASA spokesperson Rob Navias said during live commentary.
Peresild, Shipenko and Shklaperov will enter the space station at 10:05 a.m. EDT (1405 GMT) when the hatches are due to open between the Soyuz and station. NASA's live coverage will resume at 9:30 a.m. EDT (1330 GMT).
2021-10-05T11:38:58.895ZLive docking coverage has begunNASA's webcast for today's Soyuz docking at the International Space Station has begun. The Soyuz MS-19 spacecraft will dock its Russian film crew and cosmonaut commander at the station at 8:12 a.m. EDT (1212 GMT).
2021-10-05T09:19:21.863ZSoyuz reaches orbit with Russian film crewSpacecraft separation! The Soyuz spacecraft carrying cosmonaut Anton Shklaperov, actress Yulia Peresild and director Klim Shipenko has successfully reached orbit after separating from its third stage and deploying solar arrays.
'We're feeling great, everything's working nominally' Soyuz commander Shklaperov reports.
The three space travelers are on a two-orbit trip to the International Space Station and will arrive at 8:12 a.m. EDT (1212 GMT). NASA's docking coverage will begin at 7:30 a.m. EDT (1130 GMT). You can watch that in the window at the top of this page at start time.
2021-10-05T08:55:40.471ZLIFTOFF! Russian film crew launches to space stationImage 1 of 3
Liftoff! The Soyuz rocket carrying a Russian film crew to the International Space Station lifted off on time at 4:55 a.m. EDT (0855 GMT).
2021-10-05T08:42:30.093ZRussian film crew before launchImage 1 of 7
Here are a few views of the Soyuz MS-18 crew taken in the hours before launch. NASA TV is showcasing their pre-flight activities with a series of video clips as we near the T-10 minute mark for launch.
2021-10-04T22:54:18.713ZRussia launching film crew to International Space Station
Russia is counting down to launching the world's first film crew to the International Space Station on a Soyuz spacecraft. Liftoff is set for 4:55 a.m. EDT (0855 GMT) from Launch Site 31 at Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan.
The Soyuz is carrying Russian actress Yulia Perselid and director Klim Shipenko alongside veteran cosmonaut Anton Shklaperov. Perselid and Shipenko will spend 12 days in space filming scenes for a feature film called 'The Challenge' while Shklaperov will begin a months-long stay on the space station.
The trio are currently tucked inside their Soyuz spacecraft and rocket as they await launch.