Russian state space corporation (Roscosmos) has applied to the Soyuz-2.1a carrier rocket, which will launch the Progress MS-18 transport cargo ship into orbit patterns of the Khokhloma decorative painting in honour of the 800th anniversary of Nizhny Novgorod from where the handicraft originated.
In connection with the celebration of the 800th anniversary of Nizhny Novgorod in 2021, as well as part of the cooperation agreement between the Roscosmos state corporation and the government of the Nizhny Novgorod region, the symbols of the celebration of this event are applied to the launch vehicle.
As specified, later in the same assembly and test building where the “package” of the first and second stages of the launch vehicle is stored, the Soyuz-2.1b “package” was assembled, which will put the Prichal node module into orbit as part of the Progress M-UM transport cargo ship module.
The node module should dock to the Nauka multipurpose laboratory module that has already docked to the ISS on July 29 of this year. The state commission will analyze the problems that arose during the launch of the Nauka module and take them into account during the autumn launch of the node module.
Ru-Main, 12.10.2021
Source: TASS
