Expedition 16 rockets to ISS

Expedition 16 Crew rockets into space inside a Soyuz capsule.I found this nice image of the expedition 16 rocketing into space inside their Soyuz capsule. Look how cramped it is in the Soyuz spacecraft. It’s design is quite old, but it is extremely reliable. The Russian space agency is also considering a new design with more room.

When the space shuttle is retired in 2010, the Soyuz will be the only spacecraft capable of ferrying crew to and from the space station. The US will catch up with that a few years later when the Orion, also a capsule design, but much roomier, has made its maiden flight.