KOROLYOV, Moscow region. Oct 29 (Interfax-AVN) - The loss of the U.S. space vehicle that was supposed to deliver cargo to the International Space Station (ISS) will force the U.S. to modify the program of scientific experiments aboard the station, head of the flight program of the Russian segment Vladimir Solovyov believes.
"Mainly source materials related to experiments on the U.S. segment of ISS were lost. Therefore the program for these experiments will change," he said to journalists on Wednesday commenting on the implications of the U.S. rocket accident.
Solovyov said that he has talked much with his U.S. colleagues on the phone since the nighttime accident with Antares.
He said that in addition to source materials for experiments spare parts for servicing the U.S. segment, food and water were lost.
"None of that is critical," he said.
Solovyov said that it is vital for Americans to find out the causes of the accident.
Asked whether the accident can affect the program of building commercial rockets and spacecraft in the U.S. he said: "I don't think so. It is most likely that they will go further after identifying the causes and advancing the carriers."
Solovyov reminded reporters that five Antares carriers have been made in the U.S. under a contract with NASA.
On Wednesday morning an Antares rocket coupled with a Cygnus resupply ship routed to ISS exploded seconds after taking off from a launch site in Virginia, the United States.