The March 18 launch of Russia’s Soyuz MS-21 – mentioned in an earlier
Aerospace Perceptions update – has taken a turn for the surprising. After a
fully nominal, brief two-orbit chase of the International Space Station, the
Soyuz Korolyov spacecraft docked with the ISS. Hatches opened – and things
took a turn toward the unexpected.
The three-man crew of the mission boarded the ISS wearing bright yellow and blue flight suits – the unmistakable colors of the Ukrainian flag.
Russian cosmonauts Sergey Korsakov, Oleg Artemyev and Denis Matveyev speak upon their arrival at the ISS, in a video broadcast by the Russian space agency. Video image: Roscosmos
Rampant speculation commenced. Was this the orbital equivalent of
holding up a “No War” sign on Russian state television? How could the crew of
the Soyuz stow away unofficial gear in the cramped confines of their vehicle?
Was this a semi-official Roscosmos statement expressing anger over the
financial impact Putin’s folly will have on the Russian space program? If
Roscosmos was horrified by a crew protest, why did they allow video of the
impertinence to stream out before the eyes of the world?
What was certain
is that such colors have never been worn by any other Soyuz crew arriving at
the ISS. When asked if the colors had special significance, mission commander Oleg
Artemyev demurred.
“It became
our turn to pick a color. But in fact, we had accumulated a lot of yellow
material so we needed to use it. So that’s why we had to wear yellow,” he said.
Actions speak louder than words? Or perhaps an old truism says it best: a picture is worth a thousand words.
