View source for Engineering:Soyuz MS-22

{{Short description|2022 Russian crewed spaceflight to the ISS}}
{{Infobox spaceflight
| name               = Soyuz MS-22
| website            = 
| mission_duration   = {{time interval|21 September 2022 13:54|28 March 2023 11:46|show=dhm}}
| spacecraft         = [[Engineering:Soyuz MS|Soyuz MS]] No.751
| spacecraft_type    = [[Engineering:Soyuz MS|Soyuz MS]]
| names_list         = ISS 68S
| image              = File:Soyuz MS-22 spacecraft at space station leaking 'particles' into space (1).jpg
| image_caption      = The emanating "stream of flakes" venting from Soyuz MS-22 
| image_size         = 300px
| mission_type       = Crewed mission to ISS
| operator           = [[Company:Roscosmos|Roscosmos]]
| COSPAR_ID          = 
| SATCAT             = 
| manufacturer       = [[Company:Energia (corporation)|RSC Energia]]
| launch_mass        = 
| landing_mass       = 
| launch_date        = 21 September 2022, 13:54 UTC <ref name=russianspaceweb/>
| launch_rocket      = [[Engineering:Soyuz-2|Soyuz-2.1a]]
| launch_site        = Baikonur Cosmodrome, Site 31
| launch_contractor  = [[Company:Progress Rocket Space Centre|Progress Rocket Space Centre]]
| landing_date       = 28 March 2023, 11:46 UTC
| landing_site       = Kazakh Steppe, Kazakhstan
| crew_size          = 3 up<br>0 down
| crew_launching     = {{Ubl|Sergey Prokopyev|Dmitry Petelin|Francisco Rubio}}
| crew_landing       = 
| crew_callsign      = Altai
| orbit_reference    = [[Astronomy:Geocentric orbit|Geocentric orbit]]
| orbit_regime       = [[Astronomy:Low Earth orbit|Low Earth orbit]]
| orbit_inclination  = 51.66°
| apsis              = gee
| docking            = {{Infobox spaceflight/Dock
   | docking_target  = [[Astronomy:International Space Station|ISS]]
   | docking_type    = dock
   | docking_port    = ''Rassvet'' [[Nadir|nadir]]
   | docking_date    = 21 September 2022, 17:06 UTC
   | undocking_date  = 28 March 2023, 09:57 UTC
   | time_docked     = {{time interval|21 September 2022 17:06|28 March 2023 09:57|show=dhm}} 
}}
| payload_items      = Down Cargo
| cargo_mass         = ~{{cvt|218|kg}}
| cargo_mass_press   = ~{{cvt|218|kg}}
| insignia           = 
| insignia_caption   = 
| insignia_size      = 200px
| crew_photo         = File:Expedition 68 Preflight (NHQ202209210001).jpeg
| crew_photo_caption = (Top-Bottom) Petelin, Rubio and Prokopyev
| crew_photo_size    = 300px
| programme          = '''[[Engineering:Soyuz programme|Soyuz programme (crewed)]]'''
| previous_mission   = [[Engineering:Soyuz MS-21|Soyuz MS-21]]
| next_mission       = [[Engineering:Soyuz MS-23|Soyuz MS-23]]
}}

'''Soyuz MS-22''' was a Russian [[Engineering:Soyuz (spacecraft)|Soyuz]] spaceflight to the [[Astronomy:International Space Station|International Space Station]] with a crew of three launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome on 21 September 2022. The launch, previously planned for 13 September 2022, was subsequently delayed to 21 September 2022 for a mission length of 188 days.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ria.ru/20210926/rekord-1751839386.html|title=Кикина может побить рекорд пребывания россиянок в космосе|date=26 September 2021 |trans-title=Kikina can break the record for Russian women in space |agency=RIA Novostidate=26 September 2021 |access-date=26 September 2021|language=ru}}</ref>

== Crew ==
The original three-Russian member crew was named in May 2021. American astronaut Francisco Rubio replaced Anna Kikina as a part of the Soyuz-Dragon crew swap system of keeping at least one NASA astronaut and one Roscosmos cosmonaut on each of the crew rotation missions. This allows continuous space station occupation by US and Russia and keep backup crew scenarios to prevent vehicle either vehicle grounding like [[Engineering:Soyuz MS-10|Soyuz MS-10]] launch failure or to compensate for delays in launch of crew rotation missions of either vehicles like [[Engineering:SpaceX Crew-3|SpaceX Crew-3]], that was delayed due to unfavorable launch weather conditions.<ref name="Rogozin">{{cite web|url=https://spacenews.com/rogozin-says-crew-dragon-safe-for-russian-cosmonauts/|title=Rogozin says Crew Dragon safe for Russian cosmonauts |publisher=SpaceNews|date=2021-10-26|access-date=17 December 2021}}</ref>
{{Spaceflight crew
|terminology       = Crew member

|position1         = Commander
|crew1_up          = {{Flagicon|RUS}} Sergey Prokopyev
|agency1_up        = [[Company:Roscosmos|Roscosmos]]
|flights1_up       = Second
|expedition1_up    = [[Astronomy:Expedition 67|Expedition 67]]/[[Astronomy:Expedition 68|68]]/[[Astronomy:Expedition 69|69]]
|crew1_down          =None
|position2         = Flight Engineer 1
|crew2_up          = {{Flagicon|RUS}} Dmitry Petelin
|agency2_up        = [[Company:Roscosmos|Roscosmos]]
|flights2_up       = First
|expedition2_up    = [[Astronomy:Expedition 67|Expedition 67]]/[[Astronomy:Expedition 68|68]]/[[Astronomy:Expedition 69|69]]
|crew2_down          =None
|agency3_up = [[Organization:NASA|NASA]]
|position3        = Flight Engineer 2
|crew3_up          = {{Flagicon|USA}} Francisco Rubio
|flights3_up = First
|expedition3_up = [[Astronomy:Expedition 67|Expedition 67]]/[[Astronomy:Expedition 68|68]]/[[Astronomy:Expedition 69|69]]
|crew3_down          =None
}}

=== Backup crew === 
{{Spaceflight crew
|terminology       = Crew member

|position1         = Commander
|crew1_up          = {{Flagicon|RUS}} Oleg Kononenko
|agency1_up        = [[Company:Roscosmos|Roscosmos]]

|position2         = Flight Engineer 1
|crew2_up          = {{Flagicon|RUS}} Nikolai Chub
|agency2_up        = [[Company:Roscosmos|Roscosmos]]

|position3         = Flight Engineer 2
|crew3_up          = {{Flagicon|US}}  Loral O'Hara
|agency3_up        = [[Organization:NASA|NASA]]
}}

==Spacecraft==
The spacecraft is named in honor of Russian scientist [[Biography:Konstantin Tsiolkovsky|Konstantin Tsiolkovsky]], who is today considered one of the fathers of modern rocketry and astronautics. Tsiolkovsky's 165th birthday fell on 17 September, a few days before the launch of MS-22.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-08-23 |title=Rubio Primed for Integrated Crew Ops, Cristoforetti, Prokopyev to Command Expedition 68a/b - AmericaSpace |url=https://www.americaspace.com/2022/08/23/rubio-primed-for-integrated-crew-ops-cristoforetti-prokopyev-to-command-expedition-68/ |access-date=2022-09-23 |website=www.americaspace.com |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Cooling loop accident==
On 15 December 2022 at 12:45 UTC, a "visible stream of flakes" was observed emanating from the Soyuz spacecraft, concurrent with a loss of pressure in the external radiator cooling loop.<ref>{{cite news | date=15 December 2022 | title=NASA Provides Update on International Space Station Operations | url=https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2022/12/15/nasa-provides-update-on-international-space-station-operations | accessdate=15 December 2022}}</ref> A scheduled spacewalk for Petelin and Prokopyev was cancelled while the incident was evaluated.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lock |first=Samantha |date=14 December 2022 |title=Unexplained leak from Soyuz spacecraft forces Russia to abort ISS spacewalk mission |url=https://www.theguardian.com/science/2022/dec/15/unexplained-leak-from-soyuz-spacecraft-forces-russia-to-abort-iss-spacewalk-mission |work={{wipe|The Guardian}} |accessdate=15 December 2022}}</ref>

The leak in the radiator occurred due to a micro-meteorite impact. The damage left a {{cvt|0.8|mm||adj=mid|diameter}} hole into the external cooling radiator on the service module.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://t.me/roscosmos_gk/8000 | title=Госкорпорация «Роскосмос» }}</ref>

Two working groups were formed to find the cause of the incident, analyze the technical condition of the ship and develop recommendations for further actions for ground specialists and the cosmonauts.<ref>{{cite news|title=Soyuz MS-22 radiator ruptured because of external damage – Roscosmos working groups|date=27 December 2022|url=https://tass.com/science/1556485|publisher=TASS
|access-date=19 March 2023}}</ref>

According to tests conducted on the ship's systems, the temperature in the orbital and descent modules in the first days after the incident reached {{cvt|30|C}}, and in the service module {{cvt|40|C}}, but by January 2023, the temperature in the whole ship had stabilized at about 30&nbsp;°C.

In December 2022, the outer surface of Soyuz MS-22 was examined using the cameras of the [[Engineering:European Robotic Arm|European Robotic Arm]] and Canadarm2.<ref>{{cite news|title=Robotic arm to inspect leaky Soyuz spacecraft, Russia says|url=https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/science/robotic-arm-inspect-leaky-soyuz-spacecraft-russia-says-2022-12-18/
|publisher=Reuters|access-date=19 March 2023}}</ref> The analysis of the data received on Earth allowed engineers to detect a possible place of damage on the surface of the service module.

In February 2023, days before undocking, [[Engineering:Progress MS-21|Progress MS-21]] encountered a similar problem with coolant pressure leak.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-02-11 |title=Russian spacecraft loses pressure, station crew safe |url=https://apnews.com/article/space-exploration-science-aerospace-technology-28265300d03ed3a0a61d4483417a38fb |access-date=2023-02-11 |website=AP NEWS |language=en}}</ref>

==Undocking and return==
As Soyuz MS-22 was unable to perform crew return, it returned uncrewed (like [[Engineering:Soyuz 32|Soyuz 32]]). MS-23 was launched uncrewed on 24 February 2023 to function as a replacement, bringing back the crew in September 2023 (similar to [[Engineering:Soyuz 34|Soyuz 34]]). At that point, the crew spent a year in space. The original crew mission of MS-23 was delayed and reassigned to the MS-24 mission.<ref>{{cite news|title=Investigation into Soyuz leak continues|first=Jeff |last=Foust |date=December 22, 2022|url=https://spacenews.com/investigation-into-soyuz-leak-continues/|publisher=Space News|access-date=January 1, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |agency=Associated Press |date=2023-01-11 |title=Russia to launch new capsule to return space station crew |url=https://www.news4jax.com/news/world/2023/01/11/russia-to-launch-new-capsule-to-return-space-station-crew/ |access-date=2023-01-11 |website=WJXT |language=en}}</ref> Thus, some dry cargo and equipment weighing {{cvt|218|kg}} was brought back on the uncrewed return of Soyuz MS-22. Temperatures probably reached {{cvt|50|°C}} on landing, more favourable than the worst emergency crewed landing scenario studied, as reported by the mission control team. More details were published later after analysis.<ref>{{cite tweet|number=1641102300562223107|user=katlinegrey|date=March 29, 2023|title=Temperature in #SoyuzMS22 which landed yesterday in Kazakhstan was more comfortable than in the worst scenario calculated by Roscosmos specialists, said Sergei Krikalev. How hot it was in the ship during the descent, will be known after analyzing different parts of the ship}}</ref>

Until the replacement MS-23 docked to ISS, [[Engineering:SpaceX Crew-5|SpaceX Crew-5]] was considered among the options to return the MS-22 crew, in case of emergency. This is due to the fact that [[Company:SpaceX|SpaceX]] originally designed the Crew Dragon to host a crew of seven. Accordingly, the International Space Station mission management team decided to move NASA astronaut Francisco Rubio's Soyuz seat liner from the Soyuz MS-22 spacecraft to Dragon ''Endurance'' in order to provide lifeboat capabilities for Rubio. The seat liner was moved on 17 January 2023, with installation and configuration continuing through most of the following day. Seat liner swapping is not new between two Soyuz capsules, but was performed for the first time from Soyuz to Crew Dragon.<ref name="SeatLiner"/> The change allowed for increased crew protection by reducing the heat load inside the MS-22 spacecraft for cosmonauts Prokopyev and Petelin in the event of an emergency return to Earth. Alongside [[Engineering:SpaceX Crew-6|SpaceX Crew-6]] space capsule is designed to bring back crew serving as a emergency evacuation after Crew-5.<ref>{{Citation |title=Expedition 68 NASA's SpaceX Crew-6 Leaders Discuss Mission - Jan. 25, 2023 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OCET6AMDsQ |language=en |access-date=2023-02-14}}</ref>

After MS-23 arrived at the station on 26 February, Rubio's seat liner was transferred to the new Soyuz on 6 March, and the seat liners for Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitry Petelin were moved from MS-22 to MS-23 on 2 March ahead of their return in the Soyuz.<ref name="SeatLiner">{{Cite web |last=Garcia |first=Mark |title=Spacewalk Preps Continue as Soyuz Seat Move Planned as Precaution |url=https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2023/01/13/spacewalk-preps-continue-as-soyuz-seat-move-planned-as-precaution/ |access-date=2023-01-14 |website=blogs.nasa.gov |date=13 January 2023 |language=en-US}} {{Source attribution}}</ref> MS-23 arrived and docked at the ISS on 25 February.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Foust |first=Jeff |date=2023-02-26 |title=Replacement Soyuz arrives at space station |url=https://spacenews.com/replacement-soyuz-arrives-at-space-station/ |access-date=2023-02-28 |website=SpaceNews |language=en-US}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em|refs=

<ref name=russianspaceweb>{{cite web|title=Space exploration in 2022|url=http://www.russianspaceweb.com/2022.html|website=russianspaceweb.com|access-date=2021-10-01}}</ref>
}}

{{Soyuz}}
{{Crewed ISS flights}}

[[Category:Crewed Soyuz missions]]

{{Sourceattribution|Soyuz MS-22|1}}