SpaceX, rivals get a lift as industry shuns Russian Soyuz rocket

Russia’s Soyuz rocket has also suffered under the sanctions against Russia over its war in Ukraine, bringing into question the fate of its space programme. — ESA-CNES-Arianespace via AP, File

Russia’s Soyuz rocket has carried people and payloads to space for decades, a workhorse that has amassed a record of reliability as the most launched in spaceflight history. Yet in the span of a few weeks, the Soyuz’s prospects have been severely diminished in the fallout from Russia’s war in Ukraine.

The nation’s moves to rework commercial contracts, halt deliveries and effectively seize property from Western customers has shaken the industry’s faith in Russia and its signature rocket.