spacetoday.net: Soyuz rockets grounded after Progress failure

Posted: Fri, Aug 26, 2011, 7:27 AM ET (1127 GMT)
Soyuz TMA-21 launch (NASA)

Russia has postponed all upcoming launches by its Soyuz rocket after a Progress spacecraft failed to reach orbit Wednesday, a decision that could delay the next rotation of ISS crew members. Despite Wednesday's launch failure, when an upper stage failure caused the Progress M-12M spacecraft to crash back to Earth in Siberia, preparations had continued for a planned launch Friday of a GLONASS navigation satellite on a Soyuz-Fregat rocket. On Thursday, though, officials formally postponed that launch until some time next month as the investigation into Wednesday's failure continues. That decision is also expected to delay a planned Soyuz launch next month of a crewed Soyuz spacecraft. A source told the Russian news service Interfax that launch would likely be delayed to the second half of October.