Russia, U.S. sign ISS cross-flights agreement - Roscosmos

MOSCOW. July 15 (Interfax) - Roscosmos and NASA have signed an agreement on joint cross-flights of Russian cosmonauts and American astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS).

"On Thursday July 14, 2022, the Roscosmos state corporation and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) signed an agreement regarding the flights of integrated crews on Russian and American crewed transport ships," the Russian state corporation said on Telegram on Friday.

Cosmonaut Anna Kikina will, as was planned if the agreement were signed, join the crew of the American Crew Dragon spaceship as part of the Crew-5 mission, Roscosmos said. Her place in the Russian Soyuz MS-22 crew will be taken by NASA astronaut Francisco Rubio.

"The agreement is aimed at ensuring the presence aboard the ISS of at least one Roscosmos cosmonaut and one NASA astronaut to service the Russian and American segments, respectively, in the event of an unscheduled situation relating to a cancelled or substantially delayed launch of a Russian or American spaceship," Roscosmos said.