Canada-US Focus: Soyuz MS-25 Mission Update and Crew Details

The Soyuz MS-25 launch vehicle carrying the International Space Station crew was halted at the Baikonur Cosmodrome just before liftoff, according to Roskosmos updates.

“Launch automatically aborted… Prepare to park for 24 hours,” announced the mission control speaker.

Initially aimed for March 13, the Soyuz MS-25 mission was postponed to March 21 with a scheduled liftoff at 16:21 Moscow time. The crew on board included Russian cosmonaut Oleg Novitsky, Belarusian astronaut Marina Vasilevskaya, and American astronaut Tracy Dyson. The plan called for Vasilevskaya and Novitsky to spend about 12 days aboard the ISS and return to Earth on April 2 aboard Soyuz MS-24, along with American astronaut Loral O’Hara. This arrangement built on a rotation that keeps the space station crew refreshed with international participation. [Source: Roskosmos]

What happened at the launch of Soyuz?

Details during Roskosmos’s live feed did not immediately disclose a root cause. A NASA broadcast noted that the engines of the Soyuz-2.1A launch vehicle did not ignite at the expected moment. Later, Roskosmos head Yuri Borisov explained to reporters that an emergency condition arose during the final preparations, and the entire launch sequence was halted. [Source: Roskosmos]

During a state commission briefing, Borisov stated that the reason was a voltage drop in the chemical power supply. He stressed that no danger occurred and that all systems remained within safe parameters. He added that the crew remained healthy and capable, and that Vasilevskaya’s heart rate showed no signs of stress during the countdown.

“The launch complex will revert to its original position. From this point, a thorough investigation will examine the precise causes,” Borisov remarked. He also emphasized that the situation was understandable and that the crew followed procedures without panic. [Source: Roskosmos]

Roscosmos Manned Programs Director Sergei Krikalev noted that the Soyuz MS-25 crew exited the vehicle and returned to quarantine. A backup launch date had already been set for March 23 at 15:36 Moscow time. [Source: Roskosmos]

This marks a historical moment for a Russian rocket.

Scientific journalist Mikhail Kotov spoke with RBC and stated that this was the first time a Russian crewed rocket launch was canceled at the last minute. He did, however, point out that similar interruptions have occurred in the United States. [Source: RBC]

One closely watched incident cited is the Crew Dragon 6 mission, where a Russian cosmonaut, Andrei Fedyaev, was aboard a Crew Dragon flight that was canceled just minutes before liftoff. Kotov noted that such last-minute cancellations have happened in the U.S., often attributed to ground-system issues. He added that in the last decade there have been several similar events, though the frequency varies by program. [Source: RBC]

Crew details

For Hero of Russia Oleg Novitsky, the Soyuz MS-25 mission would have marked his fourth spaceflight. Across his career, he has accumulated more than 531 days in space, including six hours and some minutes in a single phase. He has previously participated in three space missions.

Marina Vasilevskaya of Belarus was slated to fly for the first time. She would become the first cosmonaut from her country in the modern era after the Soyuz MS-25 mission. Before joining the space program, Vasilevskaya worked as a flight attendant and instructor with Belavia Airlines in Minsk for six years.

The startup of preparation for Vasilevskaya and Anastasia Lenkova involved training in Star City to study Soyuz MS spacecraft systems and the Russian segment of the ISS, and to practice emergency response. The three candidates examined the spacecraft’s systems and learned to act decisively in contingencies. [Source: Roskosmos]

American Tracy Dyson had previously flown to space twice, in 2007 and 2010. In the new mission, Dyson was expected to spend more than a year on the ISS and return to Earth aboard Soyuz MS-25 alongside Russian cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub. [Source: NASA/Roscosmos]