Effects of Soyuz related deaths

[Voyager275]

Say the Soyuz failed someway and the crew perished, how much would this effect the Soyuz crew program?Would it be like after Challenger or Soyuz 1?

[Mazon Del]

It would certainly make the news, there would be a State Funeral and all the usual things you'd expect from astronauts dying. The response from the US government would likely be to push harder into using homegrown tech like SpaceX and the like, while only using the Soyuz in the near term when absolutely necessary (so a reduction in scheduled flights) until the other efforts are ready.

So other than the funerals and a reduction in flights, not a whole lot would really be different.

[cantab]

It would be a major blow to Roscosmos and NASA alike. If it was a launcher failure I expect the ISS's current crew would carry on as normal, but it's very possible they'd end up leaving the station empty if there was no vehicle ready for replacement crew to fly up in.

If it was a failure with the capsule affecting the safety of re-entry things are trickier. It's quite possible the ISS's current crew would end up with an extended stay until either the Soyuz was deemed safe again or another capsule was available. Fortunately plenty of ships and rockets can handle cargo resupply. I wonder if NASA might not try and push the Orion development ahead, then launch an empty Orion to the station to take the crew down. That could be launched on a Delta IV Heavy again, since it wouldn't need to be human-rated for the ascent.

[heng]

Is this a What-If thread or are you looking for new targets after sawing through Space X's struts?

[Mazon Del]

Now now heng, we all know that the struts were cut using Lockheed's laser, powered of course by their jealousy of the SpaceX successes.