The Olympic flame went into space

The Olympic relay reached the ISS. The fire was delivered to the ISS. However, for safety reasons, the torch will not burn. All the details of the upcoming action were tested and rehearsed in advance, radio news interlocutors say.

The Olympic torch was launched into space for the first time. The Soyuz launch vehicle delivered the symbol of the Olympics to the International Space Station. The torch will remain on the ISS for several days. On November 9 it will be carried into outer space. The torch was not lit during the flight for safety reasons. It will not burn during its stay on the ISS. This is an important event for Russian cosmonautics and the Olympic movement, said Deputy Prime Minister of Russia Dmitry Kozak in an interview with Rossiya 24.

“For the first time, the symbol of the Olympic Games will visit outer space. We, together with Roscosmos, developed this program; it, like all Olympic torch relays, is designed to show the country, show its scale, cultural diversity, economic achievements. Without a doubt, space exploration is an achievement of ours.” countries, we have to demonstrate it,” he says.

Rehearsals for passing the torch in outer space began several months before the launch. All the details of this action were worked out in the pool. The astronauts will not just pass the object from hand to hand, but will also film the entire process on camera. It is unlikely that any problems will arise during this operation, says Ivan Moiseev, head of the Space Policy Institute.

“I know that there shouldn’t be any difficulties there, this is a purely propaganda campaign. They have gotten used to the cameras at the station very well, there is a constant broadcast there, regardless of what they are doing - passing the torch or just doing something. It’s all on the Internet you can watch. The only thing is that it is interesting for athletes, it will invigorate them,” he said.

The torch transfer has no significance for the development of Russian cosmonautics, says Vladimir Surdin, a senior researcher at the Sternberg State Astronomical Institute. The expert also noted that the cost of the operation will exceed $20 thousand.

“We had the Tsar Bell, which never rang, the Tsar Cannon, which never fired, now we will also have the Olympic torch, which never burned. They took us to the North Pole, they took us into space - our country has spread its arms wide. Thank God , that unlit: it is the most dangerous. There have been fires at stations even without it, this is the most fire-hazardous place - there is nothing to extinguish it with. Delivery of any cargo to the ISS costs about 10-15 thousand dollars per kilogram. How much does it weigh there, probably two kilograms. , he thinks.

The symbol of the Olympics will return to Earth on November 11. And his flight into space is insured by the Ingosstrakh company for more than 2 billion rubles.

Ekaterina Gabeleva

"The action is designed to show the scale of the country hosting the Olympics"