Russian cosmonauts Oleg Artemyev, Denis Matveyev and Sergey Korsakov arrived at the International Space Station on Friday evening. Striking was their appearance in a yellow uniform with blue details.
The three had taken off on Friday in their traditional white and blue suits at 4.55 pm Belgian time from the Baykonur launch site in Kazakhstan leased by Russia using a Soyuz launcher. The astronauts were not able to board the International Space Station immediately, as some work was needed before the hatch could open. That gave them time to don a yellow and blue suit, leading the world to speculate that they were showing their support for Ukraine. Russia sweeps this idea off the table.
Also, according to cosmonaut Artemyev, there is no hidden message behind the clothes. The colors simply represent the ancient university of the three cosmonauts, Moscow State Technical University. Dmitry Rogozin, head of the Russian space agency Roscosmos, tweeted an image of the university’s supporting logo.
In an earlier statement, Artemyev said one more thing, that the uniform was chosen because there was a lot of yellow fabric in stock. “We had to use it.”
The ISS host committee consisted of Russians Anton Shkaplerov and Peter Dubrov, German astronaut Matthias Maurer and Americans Mark Vande He, Thomas Marshburne, Raja Chari and Kayla Barron.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine and the resulting sanctions against Russia did not have a very noticeable operational impact on the International Space Station, although the threats came from Moscow. For example, Vande Hei will already go home with Soyuz and not have to leave him behind, as some are starting to get scared.
Marshburn, Chari, Barron and Maurer have arrived at the International Space Station with the American Crew Dragon and will return with it.
The three had taken off on Friday in their traditional white and blue suits at 4.55 pm Belgian time from the Baykonur launch site in Kazakhstan leased by Russia using a Soyuz launcher. The astronauts were not able to board the International Space Station immediately, as some work was needed before the hatch could open. That gave them time to don a yellow and blue suit, leading the world to speculate that they were showing their support for Ukraine. Russia is erasing this idea from the table, and also, according to cosmonaut Artemyev, there is no hidden message behind the clothes. The colors simply represent the ancient university of the three cosmonauts, Moscow State Technical University. Dmitry Rogozin, head of the Russian space agency Roscosmos, tweeted an image of the university’s supporting logo. In an earlier statement, Artemyev said one more thing, that the uniform was chosen because there was a lot of yellow fabric in stock. The ISS host committee consisted of Russians Anton Shkaplerov and Peter Dubrov, German astronaut Matthias Maurer and Americans Mark Vande He, Thomas Marshburne, Raja Chari and Kayla Barron. The Russian invasion of Ukraine and the resulting sanctions against Russia did not have a very noticeable operational impact on the International Space Station, although the threats came from Moscow. For example, Vande Hei will already go home with Soyuz and not have to leave him behind, as some are starting to get scared. Marshburn, Chari, Barron and Maurer have arrived at the International Space Station with the American Crew Dragon and will return with it.
