Astronauts stuck on space station to be brought back home in February

Mr Hague noted before the flight that change is the one constant in human spaceflight.

Aleksandr Gorbunov (left) and Nick Hague leave for their flight to the International Space Station (John Raoux/AP/PA)

SpaceX has launched a rescue mission for the two stuck astronauts at the International Space Station, sending up a downsized crew to bring them home – but not until next year.

The capsule rocketed towards orbit to fetch the test pilots whose Boeing spacecraft returned to Earth empty earlier this month because of safety concerns.