spacetoday.net: ISS crew rotations delayed

Posted: Wed, May 13, 2015, 9:04 AM ET (1304 GMT)
Soyuz TMA-15M arriving at ISS (NASA)

The return of one set of crew from the ISS and the launch of a replacement crew have been delayed because of an ongoing investigation into April's Progress accident. NASA announced Tuesday that the station's partners agreed to postpone the launch of three new crewmembers from late May to late July, and move up the launch of a Progress spacecraft from early August to early July. The schedule change allows the Russian space agency Roscosmos time to complete the investigation into a failed Progress mission. Russian officials said Tuesday the Progress separated unexpected from its upper stage after the stage's propellant tanks ruptured. A final report into the accident is expected by late May. To accommodate the delayed crew launch, three ISS crewmembers slated to return from the ISS Wednesday night will remain on the ISS through early June.