NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman visited the Baikonur Cosmodrome to attend the Soyuz MS-29 launch, the first NASA chief visit to Baikonur in eight years. The flight will carry Anil Menon on his first spaceflight alongside Russian cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina for an eight-month mission to the International Space Station. The trip underscores continued U.S.-Russian cooperation in orbit despite tensions over Russia’s actions in Ukraine, even as broader collaboration — including possible Artemis participation — has stalled.
NASA Administrator Visits Baikonur Ahead of U.S.-Russian Soyuz MS-29 Launch
The Soyuz rocket is raised into position at the Site 31 launch pad of the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Saturday, July 11, 2026. (Bill Ingalls(NASA via AP)
MOSCOW (AP) — NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman traveled to the Russia-leased Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan to attend the scheduled launch of a joint U.S.-Russian crew bound for the International Space Station, marking the first visit by a NASA chief to Baikonur in eight years.
Visit and Meetings
Isaacman met with the Soyuz MS-29 crew and thanked Russia’s state space agency, Roscosmos, for its preparations. Speaking at a Monday briefing, he said, “The integrated work performed over the past several months reflects the professionalism and dedication of everyone involved.” He also held talks with Roscosmos head Dmitry Bakanov ahead of the launch.
The Crew and Mission
The Soyuz MS-29 was set to carry NASA astronaut Anil Menon — making his first trip to space — alongside Russian cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina for an eight-month assignment on the International Space Station. The three will join the current station complement, including NASA astronauts Jessica Meir, Jack Hathaway and Chris Williams, European Space Agency astronaut Sophie Adenot, and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergei Kud-Sverchkov, Sergei Mikaev and Andrei Fedyaev.
The Soyuz rocket is rolled out by train to the launch pad, Saturday, July 11, 2026, at Site 31 of the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. (Bill Ingalls/NASA via AP)(NASA via AP)
Context: Cooperation Amid Tension
Once bitter rivals during the Cold War space race, Russia and the United States continue operational cooperation on the International Space Station despite heightened geopolitical tensions following Russia’s 2022 military action in Ukraine. U.S. and Russian crews still travel to the orbiting outpost aboard each other’s spacecraft.
Wider Programs and Shifting Partnerships
Broader plans for cooperation — including potential Russian involvement in NASA’s Artemis lunar program — have fallen apart. Under Western sanctions, Russia has deepened ties with China for energy and technology, and Roscosmos has begun cooperating with China on prospective lunar projects.
Editorial Note
The original report names Jared Isaacman as NASA Administrator. Jared Isaacman is widely known as a private astronaut and entrepreneur; this specific job title may be an error in the source and should be verified before publication.
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