back to article Russia knocks back Soyuz launch

The Russian space agency Roskosmos has knocked back the slated launch of its Soyuz TMA-21, due to carry cosmonauts Andrei Borisenko and Alexander Samokutyayev, plus astronaut Ronald Garan, to the International Space Station. The agency said in a statement: "A decision has been taken to postpone the launch of the Soyuz TMA-21 …

COMMENTS

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  1. Daniel Evans

    Cosmonaut vs Astronaut

    Cosmonaut has traditionally been a Russian spacefarer whilst Astronaut has been one from the Americas.

    Do the ESA's chaps happen to get their own name (albeit whilst hitching rides on other people's rockets)? Voidonauts? Galactonauts? Or does Astronaut refer to any Western spacefarer?

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Cosmonaut vs Astronaut

      I think it depends on where they train and graduate from ie who awards the title... most ESA 'Astronauts' train with/in the US.

      1. Vladimir Plouzhnikov

        Spationaute

        Ce nom désigne les voyageurs spatiaux européens, notamment français.

    2. Anonymous John
      Unhappy

      Re Cosmonaut vs Astronaut

      I'm waiting for the time when space travel is so routine that both terns become as obsolete as "aeronaut".

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        @Anonymous John

        As an accomplished terranaut, I find your comment highly offensive.

  2. Hermes Conran
    Alert

    You're in low earth orbit, NASA have scrapped all their shuttles

    and you are depending on the russians to bring you home. Better pack a reentry-proof surfboard!

    1. Anonymous John

      No problem.

      There are always enough Soyuz capsules at the ISS to evacuate the station. And the Shuttle has never been suitable for taking crew up and down. It can't stay in orbit long enough to serve as a lifeboat.

    2. JohnG

      Russian space programme reliability

      Why? The Russian space programme has a very good reliability and safety record.

  3. Vladimir Plouzhnikov

    LOL!

    "Reuters notes that the TMA-21 launch delay "is likely to increase concerns about Russia's reliability on rides to the ISS just before NASA mothballs its shuttle later this year, leaving it entirely dependent on the Russian Soyuz""

    What, after 1 delay?

    I wonder if they bothered to count how many times did STS missions departed on time, before making that statement?

    The NASA lobbyists at work, I would guess, slightly scaring public into slightly pressuring the lawmakers into slightly easing off on the space budget cuts... Well, can't really blame them for that, can I?

    1. Annihilator
      Thumb Up

      Too right

      The Soyuz is the most reliable manned spacecraft to date. 4 fatalities in a 45+ year service is nothing to sneeze at. It's also older than Apollo.

      Granted it's been through a few modifications, but it's a space programme that can truly be marvelled. And as Vladimir mentions, the STS were regularly delayed. The Discovery retirement flight STS-133 lifted off on it's 6th attempt - 5th if you charitably ignore the weather induced delay.

      Fair play on trying to gee-up the US Orion/HLV programme, but let's not kick the Russians at the same time.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      "concerns about Russia's reliability"

      They didn't say anything about the -capsule-, did they?...

      I don't know about you guys, but I'd be nervous putting all my eggs in the care of Ol' Farmer Putin - no matter how reliable the *basket* is.

      1. r4co0n
        Go

        Aria(d)ne - ESA

        I am really no expert on this, but I thought since I first heard about the US wrecking their shuttles that it is time to push the European effort on our own space programme. Am i wrong or do we still have no own capsules, only rockets? I think Europe, maybe particularily Germany, where I come from, have lots of knowledge about space aviation and the like... Feel free to correct me...

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Boffin

          ATV Human Cargo Carrier

          The european plans (as far as I know) are to make the ATV fit for re-entry first, so it can be used as a return vehicle for experiments too large to ride in the trunk of a Soyuz Mini.

          A later step would be to redesign the ATV and Ariane 5 with life support for human passengers.

  4. Ryan 7
    Coat

    TMA-21?

    Just how many Tycho Magnetic Anomalies are there?

    Mine's the one with the grip-shoes...

  5. Snapper
    Coat

    Berlin

    Wasn't the Berlin Airlift caused by the Russkies closing the land corridor and quoting 'Technical Difficulties'?

    Thank you, mine's the one with the DC3 in the pocket.

  6. Jacob Lipman

    @Daniel Evans

    As a generic term for ESA-trained spacefarers, "Euronaut" seems pretty straightforward. If you wanted to categorize folks further based on nationality, I have a few suggestions:

    British - "Anglonaut"

    French - "Franconaut"

    German - "Deutschonaut" or "Teutonaut"

    Brain's not awake enough to make jokes right now.

    1. Vladimir Plouzhnikov

      British - "Anglonaut"

      You are really playing with fire here. Expect protests from Cymronauts and Scottonauts any minute now...

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