http://aviationweek.com/space/booster-problem-causes-soyuz-mission-abort-ballistic-re-entry

The booster anomaly was identified about 3min 15sec. after lift-off at 4:40a.m. ET, triggering a ballistic re-entry of the capsule and subjecting the crew to higher than normal g-forces.

There’s going to be some space suit hosing out going on this evening.

What does that mean in plain english?  Is it ‘rocket was gonna go bang so the little capsuley bit at the top got boosted out of the way before someone on the ground hit the big red button. Crew therefore got a dose of extra G and landed in the middle of siberia’.

pretty much that, booster rocket was going to go pop so they fired them off the top and they came back down very fast. not fun but they’re alive

basically yes – an in flight termination of a space launch.

Video here https://twitter.com/SpaceflightNow/status/1050331680869965824/video/1 after the crew get a bit shaken up you can see all the little bits of the booster anomaly.

Oooh  next time I crash I think I’ll call it ‘experiencing a bike anomoly’ instead.  I’d guess I’ll also take a much shorter ballistic trajectory on dismount too.  That’s as close as I’ll get to being a cosmonaut.

Has a launch ever been aborted like this before? Can’t remember hearing about one

Yes – only once and the abort was done from ground level. A 1980’s Soyuz went bang but, thankfully, the abort system fired two seconds beforehand, saving the crew.

Rachel

Their re-entry experience must have been quite personal.

I was meaning in mid-air/space, so possibly not then

They’re probably about three inches shorter now, though.