Russia Rolls Out a Big Soyuz Rocket

This photo is stunning.

The image was captured earlier this week by Carla Cioffi, a NASA photographer. The caption explains (in broken English):

The Soyuz TMA-01M spacecraft is rolled out by train to the launch pad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2010. The TMA-01M is a new modified Soyuz vehicle that features upgraded avionics and a digital cockpit display. The crew of Expedition 25 Soyuz Commander Alexander Kaleri, NASA Flight Engineer Scott Kelly and Russian Flight Engineer Oleg Skripochka is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 8, 2010 at 5:10 a.m. Kazakhstan time.

Here's one more wonderful perspective on same:

Comments

[striatic]

comparing this to the current state of NASA's human spaceflight program really puts home the point that the space race was a marathon, not a sprint.