An unmanned cargo spaceship that failed to complete its ISS re-supply mission and burnt up as it re-entered the Earth’s atmosphere last week, forcing the Russian space agency to postpone the return of three cosmonauts onboard the station.
Russia initially planned to bring back the crew home on 14 May; however, the agency has asked them to stay there until early June and pushed back the launch of replacement crew to late July.
ISS Russian segment head Vladimir Solovyov was quoted by the Associated Press as saying: "They have accepted it with understanding and agreed to work an extra month or so in orbit.
"In accordance with space and aviation regimen, we can’t immediately make a manned launch."
The agency is planning to launch the Progress spaceship to the ISS in early July, prior to transporting replacement astronauts, in order to ensure crew safety.
Launched aboard a Soyuz rocket from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on 28 April, the Progress was intended to supply 3t of food, fuel and supplies to the station.
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By GlobalDataThe spacecraft lost contact with the flight controllers shortly after it reached orbit and the capsule was found tumbling.
Reuters quoted Roscosmos head Igor Komarov as saying that the Soyuz rocket’s third stage separated from the cargo ship early, leaving it 20km short of its intended altitude.
It is reported that the preliminary investigation showed depressurisation of the oxidiser and fuel tanks on the third stage.
