Astronauts Stranded In Space After Russian Soyuz Failure, Awaiting Guardian Rescue
New Mission for U.S. Space Force
Three astronauts stranded on the International Space Station (ISS) after their Russian Soyuz spacecraft was damaged in an apparent meteoroid strike will soon be brought home by a Space Force Guardian spacecraft, the Pentagon announced.
The astronauts, NASA's Frank Rubio, Josh Cassada, and the Russian space agency Roscosmos's Anna Kikina, were forced to abandon their original Soyuz capsule after it was struck by a small meteoroid on Dec. 14, 2022. The impact caused a coolant leak, making the spacecraft unsafe for re-entry.
Evacuating the Astronauts
With no other Russian Soyuz spacecraft available to retrieve the stranded astronauts, NASA and Roscosmos turned to the U.S. Space Force for assistance.
The Space Force, established in 2019, is responsible for conducting military operations in space. It has a fleet of spacecraft and launch vehicles, including the Guardian, a reusable spacecraft designed to transport astronauts and cargo to and from the ISS.
A Guardian spacecraft was quickly dispatched to the ISS, and is expected to dock with the space station on March 2023. The astronauts will then transfer to the Guardian and begin their journey back to Earth.
Russia's Role
Despite the rift between the U.S. and Russia over the war in Ukraine, Russia is cooperating with the rescue effort.
A Russian Soyuz spacecraft remains docked at the ISS, and will be used to return the astronauts to Earth if the Guardian mission is unsuccessful.
Bilateral Cooperation in Space
The rescue mission is a sign that despite tensions on Earth, the U.S. and Russia continue to cooperate in space.
Both countries have a long history of working together on space exploration, and the ISS is a symbol of that cooperation.
The rescue mission is also a demonstration of the Space Force's growing capabilities. The force is still in its infancy, but it is rapidly developing the ability to conduct a wide range of missions in space, including providing humanitarian assistance.
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