Roscosmos deputy head Krikalev: It's important to continue Roscosmos-NASA ISS cross-flights program

WASHINGTON. July 31 (Interfax) - It is important to continue the program of cross spaceflights to the International Space Station (ISS) between Roscosmos and the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Russian state space corporation's Deputy Director General for Manned Space Programs Sergei Krikalev said.

"I think it is important that we continue integrated crew operations, because safety of the crew and reliability of the program is very important for us," Krikalev said at a press conference ahead of the Crew-11 mission launch to the ISS.

"We are working together not only in space but also here, on the ground providing cargo delivery, managing supply on the station, everything is done to have successful missions and integrated crew is part of it," he said.

Information from NASA shows that the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft bound for the ISS is scheduled to blast off at 7:09 p.m. Moscow time on July 31. Its docking with the orbiting outpost is set for August 2.

In addition to Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov, the Crew-11 mission includes U.S. astronauts Mike Fincke and Zena Cardman and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Kimiya Yui. It will be Platonov's first spaceflight.

The Crew-11 mission takes place under the cross-flights agreement between Roscosmos and NASA.