Moscow: The Soyuz MS-23 rescue spacecraft will be sent to the International Space Station (ISS) via unmanned mode on February 20, the Soyuz MS-22 with a damaged cooling system will return to Earth without a crew, Russian state space agency Roscosmos said on Wednesday.

On December 15, 2022, a leak in the cooling system of Soyuz MS-22 occurred due to damage to the spacecraft's outer skin.

"Experts concluded that the Soyuz MS-22 should descend to Earth without crew. The launch of Soyuz MS-23 is scheduled for February 20, 2023 via unmanned mode," the statement said.

(With UNI/Sputnik inputs)