A Russian Soyuz rocket carrying a new U.S.-Russian crew to the International Space Station failed during its ascent Thursday (Oct. 11), sending its crew capsule falling back toward Earth in a ballistic re-entry, NASA officials said.
A search-and-rescue team has reached the landing site, both crewmembers are in good condition and have left the Soyuz capsule as of 6:10 a.m. EDT, NASA spokesperson Brandi Dean said during live television commentary. Russian space agency Roscosmos has released photographs of both astronauts being checked over after their abrupt landing.
Of course, when the ever reliable Soyuz experiences a non reliability issue, the US hardware lined up to replace it appears to edge upwards as an attractive proposition when placed in direct comparison. The Russians sure could have done without the booster failure and the controversial issue of holes being apparently drilled so as to allow air to vent into space.
