Soyuz MS-18

Expansion of Russian Orbital Segment

The Soyuz MS-18 crew arrived at the ISS on 9 April 2021, before the launch of the Nauka module on 21 July 2021. Expedition 65 crew members from Soyuz MS-18 conducted a spacewalk to prepare the Russian Segment for Nauka and the European Robotic Arm. Two additional spacewalks for outfitting Nauka were also performed by Soyuz MS-18 crew members. The Prichal module, launched on 24 November 2021 with Progress M-UM, was the second addition to the Russian Orbital Segment in 2021.

Engine firing incident

On 15 October 2021 at 09:02 UTC, during preparation for landing, Soyuz MS-18 inadvertently fired its thrusters beyond the planned time, altering the ISS orientation by up to 57° at 09:13 UTC. The station's attitude control system counteracted the motion using Russian Segment thrusters.

The erroneous firing resulted from a procedural error in instructions sent to Oleg Novitsky. The Soyuz flight control system had a limit that cut off the test once allocated propellant was consumed, leaving landing reserves untouched. The crew was not in danger; it was the second such incident since the Nauka loss of control on 29 July 2021.

Did You Know?

• The arrangement was an in-kind service for supplemental crew transportation between NASA and Roscosmos, without financial exchange.
• Pyotr Dubrov and Mark Vande Hei, who arrived on Soyuz MS-18, joined Shkaplerov on the landing of Soyuz MS-19.