Image: NASA/Anil Menon
Soyuz MS-28
Mission Profile
| Launch date | 2025-11-27 |
|---|---|
| Launch site | Baikonur Cosmodrome, Site 31/6 |
| Launch vehicle | Soyuz-2.1a |
| Spacecraft | Soyuz MS-28 (No. 753) |
| Target | Low Earth Orbit |
| Type | Crewed |
| Duration | ~240 days (planned) |
| Partners | Roscosmos, NASA |
Overview
Soyuz MS-28 lifted off from Baikonur on 27 November 2025, ferrying a fresh trio to the International Space Station for Expeditions 73 and 74. The mission marked the first flight of NASA astronaut Christopher Williams, a medical physicist who graduated with NASA's 23rd astronaut class in 2024, alongside Roscosmos cosmonauts. Commander Sergey Kud-Sverchkov, on his second spaceflight after Soyuz MS-17, brought continuity, while rookie flight engineer Sergey Mikayev, a former Russian Air Force major, made his orbital debut. Riding a Soyuz-2.1a, the crew reached the station the same day on a fast two-orbit rendezvous, docking after roughly three hours. The roughly eight-month increment is planned to run into mid-2026, keeping the orbiting laboratory fully crewed through a busy research and spacewalk campaign.
Crew
Sergey Kud-Sverchkov
Commander (Roscosmos)
Second spaceflight; previously flew Soyuz MS-17
Sergey Mikayev
Flight Engineer (Roscosmos)
First spaceflight; former Russian Air Force major and military pilot
Christopher Williams
Flight Engineer (NASA)
First spaceflight; medical physicist, NASA's 23rd astronaut class (2024)
Key Milestones
2025-11-24
Soyuz-2.1a rolled out by rail to Baikonur Site 31
2025-11-27
Launch at 09:27 UTC carrying Kud-Sverchkov, Mikayev and Williams
2025-11-27
Fast two-orbit rendezvous and docking to the ISS the same day
2026-07-26
Planned undocking and return after an eight-month increment
Key Achievements
First spaceflight of NASA astronaut Christopher Williams
Second mission for commander Sergey Kud-Sverchkov following Soyuz MS-17
Reached the ISS the same day on a fast two-orbit rendezvous
