Russia to return ISS crew on backup rocket after capsule leak

Russia said on Wednesday it would launch another Soyuz rocket on Feb. 20 to bring home two cosmonauts and a US astronaut from the International Space Station after their original capsule sprang a coolant leak last month.

The leak came from a tiny puncture - less than 1 millimetre wide - on the external cooling system of the Soyuz MS-22 capsule, one of two return capsules docked to the ISS that can bring crew members home, reports Reuters. 

Russia says the crew will now return on Soyuz MS-23, while the damaged Soyuz MS-22 capsule will be brought back to Earth empty.

"Having analysed the condition of the spacecraft, thermal calculations and technical documentation, it has been concluded that the MS-22 must be landed without a crew on board," Yuri Borisov, the head of Russian space agency Roscosmos, said.

If there is an emergency in the meantime, the agency will look at whether the spacecraft can be used to rescue the crew, he added.

"The expedition of Sergey Prokopyev, Dmitry Petelin and Francisco Rubio to the ISS is being extended. They will return to Earth on Soyuz MS-23," Roskosmos said.