Russia sent a new spacecraft to rescue passengers after the spacecraft that was supposed to return to Earth malfunctioned. The spacecraft malfunctioned after being hit by a small meteorite. A new rescue probe was sent because it was too dangerous to travel back in such a probe. Two Russian astronauts and an American astronaut are currently on the International Space Station. The rescue ship launched by Russia will reach its destination on Sunday.
The mission of the rescue probe is to bring back Russian cosmonauts Dmitry Petalin and Sergei Propokiev and American astronaut Frank Rubio. They reached the space station last September. Although it was decided to stay at the station till the end of March, it was decided to return earlier due to the malfunction of the probe.