Soyuz MS-28 crewed mission to ISS set for launch from Kazakhstan on November 27

The next crewed mission to the International Space Station is set to take off from Kazakhstan. The Soyuz MS-28 mission, transporting two cosmonauts from Roscosmos and one astronaut from NASA, is slated for launch on Thursday, November 27, at 09:27 UTC from the Baikonur Cosmodrome’s Site 31/6. This launch represents the final voyage to the ISS as part of Expedition 73, with Expedition 74 scheduled to commence in early December.

After liftoff, the Soyuz MS-28 spacecraft will orbit the Earth twice before it autonomously docks with the Rassvet module at the ISS at 12:38 UTC the same day. Once successfully docked, preparations will be made for the crew to enter the station. The three team members are anticipated to stay aboard the ISS for a duration of eight months, with plans for their return to Earth set for late July 2026.

The crew of Soyuz MS-28 consists of two Russian cosmonauts and one NASA astronaut, with two of the members making their maiden flights to space. As is customary for Soyuz missions, the crew comprises a commander and two flight engineers. Sergey Kud-Sverchkov, the mission commander from Roscosmos, will be embarking on his second journey to the ISS. A native of Kazakhstan, Kud-Sverchkov previously served as a flight engineer on Soyuz MS-17 in 2020, spending a total of 184 days in orbit during that mission.

Joining him as a flight engineer is Sergei Mikayev, also a cosmonaut from Roscosmos. Born in Irkutsk, Russia, Mikayev has a background as a military pilot and is flying to the ISS for the first time. He was initially selected for the cosmonaut program in 2018 and has since been preparing for extended missions.

The third member of the crew is NASA astronaut Christopher Williams, who will also be making his first journey into space. Originally from New York City, Williams holds a Ph.D. in physics and has a notable background in astrophysics. After joining NASA’s astronaut program in 2021, he completed two years of training before being assigned to Soyuz MS-28 in early 2025.

Supporting the mission, a backup crew has been designated, consisting of Roscosmos cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina, alongside NASA astronaut Anil Menon. Should any primary crew member require a replacement, this team will launch on the subsequent Soyuz mission, Soyuz MS-29, slated for July 2026.

For this mission, Soyuz MS-28 will be propelled into orbit by a Russian Soyuz 2.1a rocket, a reliable launch vehicle that has been in service since the mid-2000s. The spacecraft used for this mission, known as Soyuz MS No. 753, was originally intended for a commercial flight before changes in contract management allowed it to be repurposed for crew rotation.

As launch day approaches, the team is diligently preparing for the ascent, with an instantaneous launch window planned for 09:27 UTC. Any delays could postpone the mission and require rescheduling of the docking procedure with the ISS. Upon successful launch, Soyuz MS-28 will follow a precise trajectory to reach its destination, marking the beginning of an exciting eight-month stay for the crew in space.