Roscosmos

Science stands still for no one, and with a new year comes a new calendar of exciting events in spaceflight and exploration. New Atlas rounds up some of the most important milestones to look forward to in 2020.

Alexy Leonov, the world's first spacewalker, has died at age 85. He was the first person to leave a spacecraft in orbit on March 18, 1965.

Scientists from NASA, ESA, and Roscosmos went to Outback in Australia to learn more about how to find signs of fossil life on Mars.

The landing craft that will deliver Europe's first rover to the planet Mars has arrived for assembly and testing in Turin, Italy, and has been officially named. A key component of the ExoMars 2020 mission, the Roscosmos landing platform has been christened "Kazachok" (Cossack).

The first manned, round-trip to Mars could involve up to three years of travel time, so researchers from Northwestern University will be monitoring the crew of two simulated flights to the Red Planet to learn how to help astronauts work and live together in the equivalent to one small room.

The first manned Soyuz flight since the dramatic abort incident in October has lifted off from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The Russian Soyuz MS-11 spacecraft launched at 6:31 am EST (5:31 pm Baikonur time) and docked with the International Space Station eight hours later.

When the Russian Progress MS-10 cargo spacecraft lifted off from Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst aboard the ISS captured a time-lapse video of the ascending Soyuz rocket as it began its two-day journey to the station.

The Russian Soyuz launcher reentered service today as the unmanned Roscosmos Progress 71 cargo ship lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome at 1:14 pm EST (12:14 am Saturday, November 17, Baikonur time zone).

When the ExoMars 2020 mission touches down on the Red Planet, it will most likely be at Oxia Planum. This area near the Martian equator was recommended for the ESA-Roscosmos rover because it provides the best chances for finding signs of life balanced against the need for a safe landing zone.

Roscosmos announced today that manned Soyuz flights to the International Space Station (ISS) will resume on December 3, 2018 after an investigation into the aborted October 11 launch of the Soyuz-FG LV/ Soyuz MS-10 spacecraft​ found a faulty sensor in the first stage of the rocket​ was to blame.

In the wake of Thursday's launch abort of the Soyuz MS-10 spacecraft, NASA and the Russian space agency, Roscosmos, are determining the cause of the malfunction that resulted in the successful ballistic landing and recovery of the crew, as well as considering the future of the ISS.

NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin were forced to make an unplanned descent through Earth's atmosphere today following a malfunction of their Soyuz launch vehicle. The crew has now touched down in Kazakhstan, where they are being attended by rescue personnel.