At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, NASA astronaut Randy Bresnik, Sergey Ryazanskiy of Roscosmos and Paolo Nespoli of ESA (European Space Agency) are preparing for their launch to the International Space Station. Their journey to the station will begin with a lift off at 11:41 a.m. EDT Friday (9:41 p.m. in Baikonur). Live launch coverage will begin at 10:45 a.m. EDT on NASA Television and the agency’s website.
The three will join Expedition 52 Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin of Roscosmos and Flight Engineers Peggy Whitson and Jack Fischer of NASA. The Expedition 52 crew members will contribute to more than 250 experiments in fields such as biology, Earth science, human research, physical sciences and technology development.
Below is the crew’s launch timeline in EDT:
7:11:12am 4:30 Crew suit up
7:36:12am 4:05 Booster loaded with liquid Oxygen
8:11:12am 3:30 Crew meets family members on other side of the glass
8:36:12am 3:05 First and second stage oxygen fueling complete
8:41:12am 3:00 Crew walkout from 254 and boards bus for the launch pad
8:46:12am 2:55 Crew departs for launch pad (Site 1)
9:06:12am 2:35 Crew arrives at launch pad (Site 1)
9:16:12am 2:25 Crew boards Soyuz; strapped in to the Descent module
10:06:12am 1:35 Descent module hardware tested
10:21:12am 1:20 Hatch closed; leak checks begin
10:41:12am 1:00 Launch vehicle control system prep; gyro activation
10:45:00am :56:12 NASA TV LAUNCH COVERAGE BEGINS
10:56:12am :45 Pad service structure components lowered
10:57:14am :44 Clamshell gantry service towers retracted
11:00:00am :41:12 NASA TV: Crew pre-launch activities played (B-roll)
11:04:12am :37 Suit leak checks begin; descent module testing complete
11:07:12am :34 Emergency escape system armed
11:26:12am :15 Suit leak checks complete; escape system to auto
11:31:12am :10 Gyros in flight readiness and recorders activated
11:34:12am :07 Pre-launch operations complete
11:35:12am :06 Launch countdown operations to auto; vehicle ready
11:36:12am :05 Commander’s controls activated
11:37:07am :04:05 The ISS flies directly over the Baikonur Cosmodrome
11:37:12am :04 Combustion chamber nitrogen purge
11:38:12am :03 Propellant drainback
11:38:27am :02:45 Booster propellant tank pressurization
11:39:42am :01:30 Ground propellant feed terminated
11:40:12am :01:00 Vehicle to internal power
11:40:37am :00:35 First umbilical tower separates
Auto sequence start
11:40:42am :00:30 Ground umbilical to third stage disconnected
11:40:57am :00:15 Second umbilical tower separates
11:41:00am :00:12 Launch command issued
Engine Start Sequence Begins
11:41:02am :00:10 Engine turbopumps at flight speed
11:41:07am :00:05 Engines at maximum thrust
11:41:12am :00:00 LAUNCH OF SOYUZ MS-05 TO THE ISS
11:49:57am +8:45 THIRD STAGE SHUTDOWN; ORBITAL INSERTION
The next update will be after the crew safely reaches orbit.
For launch coverage and more information about the mission, visit: https://blogs-stage-old.nasawestprime.com/spacestation/. Get breaking news, images and features from the station on Instagram at: @iss and on Twitter @Space_Station and @ISS_Research.
Get weekly video highlights at: http://jscfeatures.jsc.nasa.gov/videoupdate/