Tag: Soyuz capsule

The immediate consequences of the Progress freighter failure:

• The next manned space ship launch from Baikonur likely to be postponed.
• ISS crew may be cut to 3 until Progress situation clarified.
• Russia postpones Soyuz rocket launch after crash (different launch than the manned mission above).

The longer term consequences? Congress will anguish over the lack of a shuttle. Some will demand more money for the program-formerly-called-Constellation, while others will demand more money for the new commercial companies. In either case, they will ignore the reality of a bankrupt federal government that simply can’t afford either at the moment.