Recalls Yuri Gagarin, Russia Launches Soyuz MS-18 Rocket

Soyuz M-18 rocket launched today, April 9, 2021 (NASA Gov)

JAKARTA – Russian space agency Roscosmos launched a Soyuz MS-18 rocket. The launch was conducted in memory of the first astronaut rocket flight to take the first human into space, Yuri Gagarin.

Russia launched the Soyuz MS-18 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome located in Kazakhstan on Friday, April 9. The rocket will carry three crew members to the International Space Station (ISS).

The rocket launch is a historic launch to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the world's first test space flight. Russia launched the Soyuz MS-18 in memory of the historic Vostok-1 rocket mission held in 1961.

At that time, Vostok-1 led Yuri Gagarin to become the first human to go into space. This time Russia is celebrating the 60th anniversary of its space flight as reported by Sputnik News, Friday, April 9

The Soyuz MS-18 was carrying two Russian cosmonauts, Commander Oleg Novitskiy and flight engineer Pyotr Dubrov. In addition, American astronaut Mark Vande Hei also took part in the flight. Mark is also an aviation engineer from NASA.

Yuri Gagarin's Soyuz MS-18 was launched on April 9, 2021 and will return to earth on October 13, 2021. The crew will be on the International Space Station (ISS) for 180 days.

The participation of US-owned NASA astronauts on russia's Roscosmos mission raises questions about the spaceflight rivalry between the two countries.

"A lot of things changed and... we (NASA) have to coordinate with Russia, Roscosmos in particular, to find out when to go back," Vande Hei was quoted as saying by Space.