Expedition 69 is the 69th long-duration expedition to the International Space Station. The expedition began with the departure of Soyuz MS-22 in March 2023 with Russian cosmonaut Sergey Prokopyev continuing his ISS command from Expedition 68.[2] It will end on his departure with his crewmates onboard Soyuz MS-23 on 27 September 2023.[3]
![]() Expedition 69 Crew during dinner at ISS Axiom Mission 2[a] members while celebrating Sultan Al Neyadi's birthday[1] (Not pictured is NASA astronaut Francisco Rubio) | |
Mission type | Long-duration mission to ISS |
---|---|
Operator | NASA / Roscosmos |
Mission duration | 60 days, 2 hours and 13 minutes |
Expedition | |
Space station | International Space Station |
Began | 28 March 2023 |
Arrived aboard | Soyuz MS-23 (uncrewed launch) SpaceX Crew-6 |
Crew | |
Crew size | 7-11 |
Members |
|
![]() Expedition 69 mission patch ![]() Expedition 69 crew portrait |
Initially, the expedition consisted of Prokopyev and his two Soyuz MS-22 crewmates Dmitry Petelin from Russia and American astronaut, Francisco Rubio as well as American astronauts Stephen G. Bowen, Warren Hoburg, Emirati astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi and another Russian cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev, who launched aboard SpaceX Crew-6 on March 2, 2023, and were transferred from Expedition 68 alongside the Soyuz MS-22 astronauts.[4] The departure of the craft with its crew was ultimately canceled because of a coolant leak[5] in December 2022. The decision was made to return Soyuz MS-22 uncrewed, and to launch Soyuz MS-23 (also unmanned)[5] that replaced it. By the time the MS-22 crew returns to Earth on 27 September 2023, which will be the end Expedition 69, they would have spent more than a full year in space due to their mission extension.[6][7][8]
The manifest changes do not affect US crew rotation plans, where SpaceX Crew-5 was replaced by Crew-6 in February during Expedition 68.[9]
Previously, US Crew handovers since flights returned in 2020 took place during a new expedition, about 2–3 weeks after the Soyuz handover occurs (which officially changes the Expeditions). However, in this handover, the swap occurred before the Soyuz MS-22 departure date of March 28. The early US handover was a part of the manifest prior to the Soyuz MS-22 December 2022 leak.[10]
The crew will later be increment or replenished by subsequent missions in the expedition alongside Non-Expedition crews like Axiom Mission 2 consisting of Peggy Whitson, John Shoffner, Ali AlQarni and Rayyanah Barnawi.[3]
Previously: Expedition 68
28 March 2023 - Soyuz MS-22/68S Uncrewed Undocking, Official switch from Expedition 68
6 April 2023 - Soyuz MS-23/69S Redocking
15 April 2023 - CRS SpX-27 Undocking
16 April 2023 - EVA 1 (VKD-56) 7 hr, 55 mins
16 April 2023 - Relocation of MLM outfitting, Rtod Add-on heat radiator from Rassvet module to Nauka MLM-U module
21 April 2023 - CRS Cygnus NG-18 Unberthing
21 April 2023 - CRS Cygnus NG-18 Release
28 April 2023 - EVA 2 (US-86), 7 hr, 1 min
3-4 May 2023 - EVA 3 (VKD-57), 7 hr, 11 mins
4 May 2023 - Relocation and redocking of MLM outfitting, Experimental Airlock, ShK, from Rassvet module to Nauka MLM-U module forward port
6 May 2023 - SpaceX Crew-6 Redocking
12 May 2023 - EVA 4 (VKD-58), 5 hr, 14 mins
22 May 2023 - Axiom Mission 2 Docking (Non-Expedition crew)
24 May 2023 - Progress MS-23/84P Docking[11]
Planned Events:
1 June 2023 - CRS SpX-28 Docking [11]
July TBD - CRS Cygnus NG-19 Capture
July TBD - CRS Cygnus NG-19 Berthing
21 July 2023 - Boeing CFT Docking[12]
July TBD - Boeing CFT Undocking
17 August 2023 - SpaceX Crew-7 Docking[11]
23 August 2023 - Progress MS-24/85P Docking[11]
27 August 2023 - SpaceX Crew-6 Undocking
15 September 2023 - Soyuz MS-24/70S Docking
27 September 2023 - Soyuz MS-23/69S Undocking, Official switch to Expedition 70
Next: Expedition 70
Flight | Astronaut | Increment 69a | Increment 69b | Increment 69c | Increment 69d | Transfer to Increment 70a |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
28 Mar- 17 Aug 2023 (current) | 17 Aug-27 Aug 2023 (planned) | 27 Aug-15 Sept 2023 (planned) | 15 Sept- 27 Sept (planned) | 27 Sept 2023 (planned) | ||
Soyuz MS-23/69S
(Arrived on Soyuz MS-22/68S craft) |
Sergey Prokopyev, Roscosmos Second spaceflight |
Commander | Off Station | |||
Dmitry Petelin, Roscosmos First spaceflight |
Flight Engineer | Off Station | ||||
Francisco Rubio, NASA First spaceflight |
Flight Engineer | Off Station | ||||
SpaceX Crew-6 | Stephen Bowen, NASA Fourth spaceflight |
Flight Engineer | Off Station | |||
Warren Hoburg, NASA First spaceflight |
Flight Engineer | Off Station | ||||
Sultan Al Neyadi, MBRSC First spaceflight |
Flight Engineer | Off Station | ||||
Andrey Fedyaev, Roscosmos First spaceflight |
Flight Engineer | Off Station | ||||
SpaceX Crew-7 | Jasmin Moghbeli, NASA First spaceflight |
Off Station | Flight Engineer | |||
Andreas Mogensen, ESA Second spaceflight |
Off Station | Flight Engineer | ||||
Satoshi Furukawa, JAXA Second spaceflight |
Off Station | Flight Engineer | ||||
Konstantin Borisov, Roscosmos First spaceflight |
Off Station | Flight Engineer | ||||
Soyuz MS-24/70S | Oleg Kononenko, Roscosmos Fifth spaceflight |
Off Station | Flight Engineer | Commander[14] | ||
Nikolai Chub, Roscosmos First spaceflight |
Off Station | Flight Engineer | ||||
Loral O'Hara, NASA First spaceflight |
Off Station | Flight Engineer | ||||
Sources:[15] |
Vehicle | Purpose | Port | Docking/Capture Date | Undocking Date
(if during Expedition 69) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Vehicles inherited from Expedition 67 or Expedition 68 | ||||
CRS Cygnus NG-18 "Sally Ride" | US Cargo | Unity Nadir | 9 Nov 2022 (Exp. 68)[16] | 21 Apr 2023 |
Progress MS-22/83P | Russian Cargo | Zvezda aft | 11 Feb 2023 (Exp. 68) | Docked |
Soyuz MS-23/69S | Exp. 67/68/69 Crew Return | Poisk Zenith | 24 Feb 2023 (Exp. 68)[17] | 6 Apr 2023 |
SpaceX Crew-6 | Exp. 68/69 USOS Crew | Harmony Zenith | 28 Feb 2023 (Exp. 68)[18] | 6 May 2023 |
CRS Dragon SpX-27 | US Cargo | Harmony Forward | 16 Mar 2023 (Exp. 68)[19] | 16 Apr 2023 |
Vehicles docked during Expedition 69 | ||||
Soyuz MS-23/69S | Exp. 67/68/69 Crew Return | Prichal Nadir | 6 Apr 2023 (Redock)[20] | Docked |
SpaceX Crew-6 | Exp. 68/69 USOS Crew | Harmony Forward | 6 May 2023 (Redock)[21] | Docked |
Axiom Mission-2 | Visiting Commercial Mission | Harmony Zenith | 22 May 2023 | Docked |
Progress MS-23/84P | Russian Cargo | Poisk zenith | 24 May 2023 | Docked |