Article Posted on : - Apr 03, 2009

File photo of Soyuz-14 in flight

MOSCOW (BNS): Russia is planning to launch three more Soyuz spacecraft to the International Space Station (ISS) this year, the Federal Space Agency Roscosmos said on Thursday.

Roscosmos said in a statement that, "Russia will launch the Soyuz TMA-15 on May 27, the Soyuz TMA-16 on October 1, and the Soyuz TMA-17 on November 20 from the Baikonur space center in Kazakhstan,� as quoted by Ria Novosti.

Earlier, Russia's Soyuz TMA-14 spacecraft carrying the 19th Expedition and space tourist Charles Simonyi was launched on March 26.
The Soyuz TMA-15 will carry three additional crew members to the ISS. It will be the 102nd flight of a Soyuz spacecraft since 1967 when Soyuz-1 carrying Vladimir Komarov was launched from Baikonur on 23rd April.
The Russian space agency is planning to make a record 39 space launches this year from Baikonur and the Plesetsk space center in northern Russia.