As Soyuz previously reported, the launch of a manned spacecraft is planned for March 21, the main crew of which includes Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitsky, Belarusian space flight participant Marina Vasilevskaya and NASA astronaut Tracy Dyson. And Russian cosmonaut Ivan Vagner, Belarusian cosmonaut Anastasia Lenkova and NASA astronaut Donald Pettit were chosen as reinforcements. By the way, both crews already passed their pre-launch exams with excellent grades.
Marina Vasilevskaya, a member of the main crew, first of all thanked the leaders of the Union State who initiated the implementation of the project to organize a flight into space for a citizen of sovereign Belarus.
He expressed confidence that the entire scientific flight program will be completed in full and “will give a great boost to the science of the Republic of Belarus.”
A flight into space is truly a big step for a country of ten million inhabitants, as stated by Anastasia Lenkova, representative of the most humane profession in the world: the pediatrician. And her Belarusian colleague Vasilevskaya, recalling her first steps as a stewardess on air routes, admitted that she never imagined that she would be able to fly above all the clouds on the planet.
Journalists also asked about the coveted photo a lead crew member would like to take on the ISS. “Of course, I would like to photograph beautiful Belarus, Minsk and its other cities,” Marina said, clarifying that she would “photograph life on the station, everything that happens during the flight.” After all, it is a unique experience, very valuable for the Belarusian people, she believes.
Hospitable by nature, the cosmonaut made no secret that she would definitely invite crew members to Belarus when she returned to Earth. And when she was asked what national dish she would treat to her flight companions, she named her favorite potato pancakes.
Vasilevskaya was also asked about plans for the future. First of all: “I would like to work for the good of Belarus,” was her sincere response. After all, after flying into space, the astronaut is convinced that she will have something to share with her people.
But the famous cosmonaut Novitsky had to answer journalists on a frankly gastronomic topic: is it possible to prepare the famous vitamin salad in space according to the recipe of the president of Belarus?
The fact is that during one of his meetings with Novitsky, Alexander Lukashenko showed how to prepare a tasty and healthy salad from the most affordable products. “It is impossible to repeat the salad recipe, because the president prepared it,” the cosmonaut responded with a smile, but “the salad is very tasty, very natural,” he shared his memories of the presidential gift. “And I hope that after the flight we will try again,” he added.
