A Soyuz rocket lifted off today from Baikonur (Russia's "Cape Canaveral") with Canadian astronaut Robert Thirsk as one of its passengers. The Astrocanuck will be in space, orbiting the Earth, for six months... barring any unforeseen problems, of course.The Soyuz delivery system, with its variations, has been around for years and years; for longer than many of my readers. It is dependable, with an impressive safety record, and relatively cheap, especially when compared to the United States' space shuttle. (There are things the shuttle can do that a simple rocket cannot, but its high operating costs are ammunition for the critics.) The French have a rocket by the name of Ariane, which also shares the Soyuz advantage.
Soyuz article on Wikipedia...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soyuz_(rocket_family)
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