Roscosmos announced the return of the Soyuz MS-22 spacecraft in March

The Soyuz MS-22 spacecraft with a damaged radiator will be returned to Earth in March without crew members. About it reported in the press service of Roskosmos.

“The Soyuz MS-22 spacecraft will return home in March 2023. There will be no cosmonauts on board, but the unmanned Soyuz will deliver cargo and scientific equipment to Earth — yesterday Sergey Prokopyev, Dmitry Petelin and Anna Kikina prepared it for shipment,” – said in the message.

December 15, 2022 Roscosmos informed about damage to the skin of the spacecraft, due to which the pressure in the cooling system dropped on the Soyuz MS-22. Later, the state corporation noted that the damage could have been caused by a micrometeorite entering the radiator. At Roskosmos emphasizedthat the temperature on the ship is within normal limits and is not critical, as indicated by the crew members themselves.

January 11, Executive Director of Roskosmos for manned space programs Sergey Krikalev informedthat the mission of the ship’s crew will be extended by several months. Then in the state corporation reportedthat the Soyuz MS-23 rescue ship will be sent to the ISS in an unmanned mode on February 20, and the Soyuz MS-22 will be lowered to Earth without a crew. He will remain on the ISS and return on this ship at the end of the expedition.