Russian Rescue Mission: Astronauts to Return from Damaged Soyuz Capsule

 

The International Space Station. (NASA)

 
Russia's space agency has announced plans to launch a rescue ship on February 24 to bring back three astronauts from the International Space Station (ISS) whose return vehicle was damaged by a tiny meteoroid. The Soyuz MS-23 spacecraft was delayed last Monday due to a leak in a coolant supply ship docked at the ISS. Russia has said that it will send an empty spacecraft to bring home the three astronauts. On Saturday, the Russian space agency said that chief designers had recommended launching the rescue ship at 03:34 am (00:34 GMT) on February 24, after carefully examining the Soyuz MS-23 and finding no damage. The launch is expected to be approved by a state commission. The Progress supply ship will be deorbited on February 19, according to a separate statement by the space agency.