Roscosmos To Test Escape Systems With Soyuz-2 Booster Before Soyuz-FG Replaced - Source

Russia's state space corporation Roscosmos is planning to test the interaction between an emergency escape system and the new launch vehicle Soyuz-2, which is set to replace Soyuz-FG booster starting from 2020, during the launch of the unmanned flight Soyuz MS-14, a source in the rocket and space industry told Sputnik on Saturday.

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 13th October, 2018) Russia's state space corporation Roscosmos is planning to test the interaction between an emergency escape system and the new launch vehicle Soyuz-2, which is set to replace Soyuz-FG booster starting from 2020, during the launch of the unmanned flight Soyuz MS-14, a source in the rocket and space industry told Sputnik on Saturday.

On Thursday, an accident occurred minutes after the liftoff of a Soyuz-FG launch vehicle carrying the Soyuz MS-10 spacecraft with two new members of the International Space Station (ISS) crew on board. An emergency escape capsule allowed the crew to return to Earth safely. On Friday, a source in the industry told Sputnik that Soyuz MS-14 might be reequipped for a manned flight following the Soyuz-FG failure.

"Before switching manned flights to Soyuz-2 rockets, we are planning to test its interaction with an analog escape system. The tests are scheduled [to be carried out] during the launch of the Soyuz MS-14 unmanned spacecraft to the ISS," the source said.

The source added that no one would reequip the spacecraft for a manned flight before the tests had been conducted.

"No one will take the responsibility for carrying out manned flights with Souyz-2 without checking the safety systems," the source concluded.

The launch of Soyuz MS-14 spacecraft with the new Soyuz-2 booster is currently scheduled for September 2019.