Russian cargo spacecraft to deliver electric guitar, violin strings to ISS on June 3

Russian space agency Roscosmos will launch a cargo-laden Progress MS-20 space freighter to the International Space Station (ISS) on June 3. The launch will be conducted using Russia's indigenously made Soyuz-2.1a carrier rocket and the liftoff is targeted at 3:02 pm (IST) [12:32 pm Moscow time]. According to Russian cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev, who also is a special TASS correspondent from the space station, the Progress capsule will arrive at the station with over 2,500 kg of cargo.

Electric guitar, violin strings and much more

Roscosmos is using the resupply mission to ship an electric guitar for the amusement of its cosmonauts. The guitar is being sent at the request of cosmonaut Sergey Korsakov who revealed on his Telegram channel that he asked his relatives to send the instrument to provide him psychological relief.

Artemyev reported for TASS that the Progress capsule is also bringing strings for a violin which is already onboard the flying laboratory. Along with these unusual supplies, Roscosmos is also sending around 559 kg of propellant, 40 kg of compressed nitrogen in cylinders and 420 liters of drinking water.

Besides, the cargo compartment also includes 1,458 kg of other equipment such as medical supplies, means for sanitation, outfits, standard food rations as well as other edible products for the Expedition 67 crew. A 3D printer is also being sent to the orbital outpost, Artemyev revealed. As for the launch itself, it will be conducted from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan using a rocket that has Donbas inscription on it as well as painted flags of Donetsk and Luhansk. Donetsk and Luhansk are the breakaway regions in Ukraine that are collectively called Donbas. The two regions are recognised as Republics by Russia and rebel regions by Ukraine. 

Russian cooperation in space

While Russia is cooperating in outer space, primarily in managing the space station for now, Dmitry Rogozin recently announced that Roscosmos will exit the outpost after a year's notice. The Roscosmos chief had blamed the western sanctions for this decision after he called for an "unconditional" lifting of the blockade. "The decision has been taken already, we are not obligated to talk about it publicly," Rogozin had said as per Rossiya 24. Russia's decision to pull out from the international outer space partnership might be a huge setback for the ISS as it has served as a platform for global cooperation for the last three decades.

What's more important, is that Russia currently has a huge role in keeping the ISS afloat as its spacecraft docked outside the space station are used for orbital correction and avoiding space debris in the low-Earth orbit. 

Image: Twitter/@Rogozin