This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/science/2015/jul/22/russia-soyuz-launches-international-space-station

The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
Russian Soyuz rocket lifts off for space station after two-month delay Soyuz capsule reaches space station after two-month delay
(about 7 hours later)
A Russian Soyuz rocket carrying a three-man crew bound for the International Space Station blasted off on Wednesday from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, a Nasa TV broadcast showed. A Soyuz space capsule carrying a Russian, an American and a Japanese docked smoothly on Thursday with the International Space Station.
The 16-story rocket lifted off at 5.02pm ET (2102 GMT) to deliver veteran Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko and rookie astronauts Kjell Lindgren with Nasa and Japan’s Kimiya Yui into orbit. They are due to reach the station, a $100bn research laboratory that flies about 260 miles (418 km) above Earth, at 10.46pm EDT (0246 GMT). The capsule connected to the orbiting laboratory about 250 miles (400km) above Earth at 0245 GMT.
The trio had been set to fly in May, but Russia delayed the mission after a botched launch of a similar Soyuz rocket on 28 April. That accident stranded a Progress cargo ship in an orbit too low to reach the station. Nine days later, the capsule, loaded with three tons of equipment and supplies, fell back into Earth’s atmosphere and was incinerated. The rocket had lifted off from a Russian manned launch facility in Kazakhstan about five hours and 45 minutes earlier.
The rocket reached orbit about 15 minutes after launch and circled the Earth four times before heading for the space station.
The capsule carried Oleg Kononenko of Russia, Nasa’s Kjell Lindgren and Kimiya Yui of Japan. Lindgren and Yui are on their first trips into space. Yui told a news conference that he was taking some sushi with him as a treat for the others.
They join Gennady Padalka, Mikhail Kornienko and Scott Kelly. The latter two are more than four months into a nearly year-long mission on the space station.
The launch had been postponed by about two months after the April failure of an unmanned Russian cargo ship, which raised concerns about Russian rocketry. Another Russian cargo ship was successfully launched in early July.
The April mishap stranded a Progress cargo ship in an orbit too low to reach the station. Nine days later the capsule, loaded with three tonnes of equipment and supplies, fell back into Earth’s atmosphere and was incinerated.
Accident investigators determined that the Progress failed to separate properly from the Soyuz rocket’s third-stage engine. The Soyuz returned to flight on 3 July, successfully launching a replacement load of cargo to the station.Accident investigators determined that the Progress failed to separate properly from the Soyuz rocket’s third-stage engine. The Soyuz returned to flight on 3 July, successfully launching a replacement load of cargo to the station.
“We’re confident in the rocket ... we’re all very excited to launch,” Lindgren, 42, told a pre-launch news conference.“We’re confident in the rocket ... we’re all very excited to launch,” Lindgren, 42, told a pre-launch news conference.
Two US companies that fly cargo to the station under contract with the US space agency also lost capsules after recent failed launches. Privately owned SpaceX and Orbital ATK remain grounded following accidents last month and in October 2014, respectively.Two US companies that fly cargo to the station under contract with the US space agency also lost capsules after recent failed launches. Privately owned SpaceX and Orbital ATK remain grounded following accidents last month and in October 2014, respectively.
A fourth station resupply line is operated by Japan, which is scheduled to fly again in August.A fourth station resupply line is operated by Japan, which is scheduled to fly again in August.
“It’s certainly no fun to see several of the cargo vehicles undergo mishaps,” Lindgren said. “It underscores the difficulty of this industry and ... how unforgiving the space environment is.“ “It’s certainly no fun to see several of the cargo vehicles undergo mishaps,” Lindgren said. “It underscores the difficulty of this industry and ... how unforgiving the space environment is.”
The arrival of Lindgren, Kononenko, 51, and Yui, 45, will return the space station to a full six-member crew for the first time in six weeks. The arrival of Lindgren, Kononenko, 51, and Yui, 45, returns the space station to a full six-member crew for the first time in six weeks.
“We look forward to seeing them,” US station flight engineer Scott Kelly said during an inflight interview on Tuesday. US station flight engineer Scott Kelly and Russia’s Mikhail Kornienko are participating in the station’s first year-long duration mission. Also on board is veteran cosmonaut Gennady Padalka, the current station commander.
Kelly and Russia’s Mikhail Kornienko are participating in the station’s first year-long duration mission. Also aboard is veteran cosmonaut Gennady Padalka, the current station commander.