NASA says an engine malfunction has delayed until March 27 the arrival of a Soyuz spacecraft carrying three astronauts to the International Space Station.
The Russian spacecraft carrying Russians Aleksandr Skvortsov and Oleg Artemyev and American Steve Swanson successfully launched into orbit from Baikonur, Kazakhstan on March 26, and was expected to reach the space station after a fast-track six-hour journey involving just four orbits of the Earth.
However, an engine problem caused the capsule to skip two planned steering maneuvers, delaying the crew's arrival until March 27.
NASA said in a statement the arrival was delayed because an engine burn "did not occur as planned." It said 34 orbits of the Earth were now necessary instead of the planned six.
NASA says the crew is in good spirits and is in no danger.
The Russian spacecraft carrying Russians Aleksandr Skvortsov and Oleg Artemyev and American Steve Swanson successfully launched into orbit from Baikonur, Kazakhstan on March 26, and was expected to reach the space station after a fast-track six-hour journey involving just four orbits of the Earth.
However, an engine problem caused the capsule to skip two planned steering maneuvers, delaying the crew's arrival until March 27.
NASA said in a statement the arrival was delayed because an engine burn "did not occur as planned." It said 34 orbits of the Earth were now necessary instead of the planned six.
NASA says the crew is in good spirits and is in no danger.
