ISS orbit to be raised on March 11 for arrival of new crew - Roscosmos

MOSCOW. March 4 (Interfax) - The International Space Station's (ISS) orbit will be raised by nearly one kilometer as part of preparations for the arrival of the Soyuz MS-21 and the landing of the Soyuz MS-19 spacecraft, Roscosmos said.

"Another adjustment of the altitude of the International Space Station's orbit is planned for March 11, 2022 for forming ballistic conditions before sending the Soyuz MS-21 crewed spacecraft into orbit on March 18 and deorbiting the Soyuz MS-19 landing capsule on March 30," it said.

Based on preliminary data of the ballistic navigation service of the TsNIImash [Central Research Institute of Machine-Building] mission control, a command is to be sent at 10:15 p.m. Moscow Time to fire the engines of the Progress MS-18 cargo spacecraft docked with the Zvezda Service Module of the Russian segment of the ISS.

"They are expected to work 252.4 seconds and increase the station's velocity by 0.41 m/s. After the adjustment maneuver is completed, the average altitude of the station's orbit should rise by 800 meters to reach 418.31 km," Roscosmos said.