Russia is honoring the legacy of cosmonaut Pavel Belyayev by celebrating his 100th birthday with a series of commemorative events. A significant highlight includes the lighting of a massive candle and the presentation of gifts to current astronauts who have followed in Belyayev's footsteps into orbit. This tribute coincides with the launch of the uncrewed Progress MS-30 resupply spacecraft, also referred to as Progress 91 by NASA, which is adorned with a special emblem celebrating Belyayev's centennial.
The launch shroud encasing the Progress MS-30 has been artistically decorated with a circular blue and white logo that features a depiction of Belyayev. In 1965, he led the world's first mission to execute a spacewalk, a groundbreaking achievement in human space exploration. Additionally, another emblem on the opposite side of the fairing commemorates the 60th anniversary of that historic extravehicular activity, recognizing both Belyayev's and Alexei Leonov's remarkable flight aboard Voskhod 2.
The Progress MS-30 spacecraft is scheduled to launch atop a Soyuz 2.1a rocket from Site 31 at Russia's Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The launch is set for today, February 27, at 4:24 p.m. EST (21:24 GMT, or 2:24 a.m. local time on February 28). Enthusiasts can watch the launch live on Space.com and via NASA+, with coverage beginning at 4 p.m. EST (21:00 GMT).
After a two-day journey, the Progress MS-30 will autonomously dock with the aft port of the Zvezda service module of the International Space Station (ISS) at around 6:03 p.m. EST (23:03 GMT) on Saturday, March 1. The cosmonauts currently aboard the ISS, which includes Expedition 72 flight engineers Aleksey Ovchinin, Ivan Vagner, and Alexander Grebenkin, will begin unloading the spacecraft’s cargo upon its arrival.
The Progress MS-30 is carrying approximately 5,730 pounds (2,599 kilograms) of essential supplies for the ISS crew. This includes clothing, food, medical supplies, and a state-of-the-art Orlan-MKS spacesuit, which represents a modern upgrade to the Berkut spacesuit worn by Leonov during his 12-minute EVA on March 18, 1965. Other significant items aboard include materials for cultivating micro-algae as a potential food source, tools to study microorganisms on various surfaces within the space station, and equipment designed to produce advanced semiconductor crystals.
Additionally, the Progress will provide the ISS with 2,094 pounds (950 kilograms) of fuel, 926 pounds (420 kilograms) of drinking water, and 110 pounds (50 kilograms) of nitrogen to maintain the onboard atmosphere. The spacecraft is expected to remain docked to the station for about six months, during which the ISS crew will refill it with refuse and trash before it is undocked for a controlled reentry into Earth's atmosphere.
Pavel Belyayev was born on June 26, 1925, in the Babushkinsky District of the Vologda region in northeast Russia. At 39 years old, he became the oldest cosmonaut to fly into space, making his one and only flight. Tragically, Belyayev passed away on January 11, 1970, due to complications from surgery for stomach ulcers. His Voskhod 2 crewmate, Alexei Leonov, also made history and died in 2019 at the age of 85.
The fairing of the Progress MS-30 not only celebrates Belyayev's 100th birthday and the 60th anniversary of Voskhod 2 but also includes emblems for the centennial of the Artek International Children's Center and the launch of the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs (Rosmolodezh) forum campaign. Notably, Progress MS-30 represents the 91st Russian resupply mission since 1998 in support of the ISS program and marks the 183rd flight of the Progress series since its inception in 1978.
