The near future of human spaceflight is looking dangerously uncertain. On 11 October, a Russian Soyuz craft carrying two astronauts to the International Space Station had an issue with one of its boosters, causing a crash landing about 400 kilometres away from the launch site in Kazakhstan.

The astronauts came away alive and intact, but the failed flight may complicate things on the ISS – perhaps permanently.

US astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin, are in good condition, but after an extremely bumpy ride – including …