Horizons mission - Soyuz: launch to orbit
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Published 2018-06-25
Watch the launch from inside the crew capsule with first-ever shots from outside the spacecraft recorded by cameras fixed to the exterior of the Soyuz.
The intense launch lasts less than ten minutes whereby the Soyuz spacecraft is propelled 1640 km and gains 210 km altitude. Every second for nine minutes, the spacecraft accelerates 50 km/h on average as the rocket’s boosters burn their fuel and are discarded.
See the astronaut’s reactions and what the spacecraft looks like as the main steps are carried out to get into orbit:
-00:12 Launch command issued
-00:10 Engine turbopumps at flight speed
-00:05 Engines at maximum thrust
00:00 Launch
+1:54 Separation of emergency rescue system
+1:57 First stage separation
+2:38 Fairing separation
+4:48 Second stage separation
+4:58 Tail adapter separation
+8:45 Third stage engine cut off having arrived in orbit
+8:49 Soyuz separation, deploy solar arrays and antennae
The astronauts, from left to right, are NASA astronaut Serena Auñón-Chancellor, Roscosmos commander Sergei Prokopyev and ESA astronaut and flight engineer Alexander Gerst launched in the Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan to the International Space Station on 6 June 2018. ESA astronaut Matthias Maurer and ESA television host Richard Hollingham provide commentary taken from the live event.
Hunched in their Sokol flight suits that offer protection in case of fire or depressurisation, the trio stay in the crew capsule of the Soyuz – the only module that is also designed to survive a return to Earth. The bags above their heads contain supplies for the International Space Station as every bit of space is used.
During a Soyuz launch astronauts typically experience forces of up to 4g – having to work while being pressed into their seats with a force that is four times more than the gravity felt on Earth. The Soyuz commander uses a stick to press buttons as they are too far away from the control panel.
The fluffy toys above the astronauts’ heads are mascots and good luck charms but also serve as a simple but effective test to see when the spacecraft is in orbit: when they start to float the spacecraft is weightless and orbiting Earth. Above Sergei is the mascot for the 2018 FIFA soccer World Cup held in Russia. Alexander took German children television icon “Die Maus” with him.
The launch went as planned as the 50-m tall Soyuz rocket propelled the astronauts to their cruising speed of around 28 800 km/h.
For this launch the astronauts took 34 orbits of Earth over two days to arrive at their destination spending their time in the cramped orbital module of the Soyuz that is no larger than a car. With limited communications and living space the astronauts had time to adapt to weightlessness and reflect on their mission ahead. They aligned their spacecraft with the International Space Station and approached the orbital outpost for docking on 8 June 2018. The files for this video were downloaded by the astronauts after arriving at the Space Station.
Alexander is a returning visitor to the International Space Station, the first of ESA’s 2009 class of astronauts to be sent into space for a second time. During the second part of his mission Alexander will take over as commander of the International Space Station, only the second time an ESA astronaut will take on this role so far.
Credits: ESA / NASA / Roscosmos
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All Comments (21)
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3 citizen of 3 countries that fought as adversary in the greatest war in human history going to space together is kinda beautiful !
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Can you imagine the feeling for the astronauts at the moment of launch, all that hard work becoming a reality.
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As someone who's even terrified of commercial flying, I have nothing than massive respect for every people who undertake this journey. I always think that these people are the most couregous beings amongst us and we should all look up to them. Im always amazed how that rocket can carry them to the space with the mountain-sized balls they have.
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Those dangling toys are brilliant. You can see the accelleration, you can even see how strong it is at different phases!
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How awesome is it to see a German, a Russian and an American launch into space together!
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Massive respect for these brave men and women....
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I've been looking for a video showing inside the Soyuz during launch for years, thank you so much! Amazing to watch ❤️
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3:45 such a cool moment of unity
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This is a cool video...I love finding this stuff randomly late night on YouTube!
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Cosmonaut in the middle: I can’t reach the buttons! Engineer: Aah, we’ll give you a stick.
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Watching their smiling faces and excitement is priceless. We need more science on our lives.
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I love how no space agency has ads on there videos
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See now I want the other version of this with the HD external view and small images of astronauts :) It is really nice to see the control panels and checklists, would love a proper simulated Soyuz someday.
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They look like they're calm,cool, riding bus to school..amazing.
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commander Sergei Prokopyev looks so trustworthy, I would confidently sit back and relax, when he's in command.
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Just wanna point out how smooth things are in the cockpit, i was expecting some heavy shaking but looks pretty chilled)
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When they grabbed hands, man such an emotional moment of everything in itself.
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Am I the only one impressed by how smooth the ride seems to be? I mean, barely any vibration even immediately after liftoff, it's like they're in a private jet. Russia really has these machines polished to perfection.
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I love this moment when the German Astronaut to the right sees the stuffed animals floating around and he starts smiling, kinda forgetting for a second he has a job to do as well, haha.
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I am 100% certain the family and children of the gentleman in the middle have never once seen as much joy and happiness expressed before, as much as it is here. His joy is palpable.
