Next Monday the Interministerial commission for manned missions will approve Aimbetov as the third crewmember of TMA-18M.
Looks like he has been officially confirmed:
http://tass.ru/kosmos/2061388I wonder what he will do on board the ISS given such a short preparation time? Also how did the Kazakhstan government got the money to fly him when earlier plans of the flight (back in 2009 IIRC) went astray? (or was it a barter with the Russians?)
New and updated crew patch.
Credit: Roscosmos/spacepatches.nl
Hmm, has Aimbetov started joint training with his crewmates yet?
If this report is correct Aimbetov was in Houston as of late last month/
Andreas at Col-CC
ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen’s ‘iriss’ mission will be unlike any other spaceflight for ESA. It will last only 10 days and the whole mission is planned and executed by the team at the Columbus Control Centre in Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany.
Andreas visited the centre in July for the last time before his launch in September to meet the team that will be working round the clock to make his stay on the International Space Station as comfortable and efficient as possible.
Andreas Mogensen:
Sitting for our official crew photo, with our whole crew finally! (Photo by Miguel)
http://ria.ru/world/20150722/1142120705.htmlRIA Novosti says the Kazakh space agency is looking for the money needed to fly Aimbetov to the ISS. The Russians have charged Kazakhstan $20 million for the flight, which is 2.5 times less than what Sarah Brightman was supposed to have paid. Since no money had been earmarked for the mission in the Kazakh space agency's 2015 budget, Kazakhstan may pay for the mission by lowering the $115 million rent that Russia annually pays to Kazakhstan for the use of the Baikonur cosmodrome.
The Assembly of the boosters of Soyuz-FG rocket.
Back-up crew.
It seems that Satoshi Takamatsu has been replaced by Sergei Prokopyev.
This must have happened recently, because early July he underwent a water landing training session.
Back-up crew.
It seems that Satoshi Takamatsu has been replaced by Sergei Prokopyev.
This must have happened recently, because early July he underwent a water landing training session.
It seems Prokopyev's assignment was on June 22.
http://www.astronaut.ru/as_rusia/vvs/text/prokopiev01.htm
Back-up crew.
It seems that Satoshi Takamatsu has been replaced by Sergei Prokopyev.
This must have happened recently, because early July he underwent a water landing training session.
Takamatsu has never been a back-up.
Being a back-up means that, if the main crewmember can't fly, you fly.
But Takamatsu has not paid money to go to space. So, even if the whole Russian cosmonaut Corps was sick, he would not go anyway.
He is just a guy who has paid some dollars to train like an astronaut.
Andreas Mogensen @Astro_Andreas
Reporting to exam commission this morning prior to start of today's ISS exam #iriss #rumrejsendk
