Moscow, July 12: A Russian nuclear submarine has successfully launched a unique mini-space shuttle on Friday capable of delivering cargo to the International Space Station (ISS) and safely returning to earth, news reports said. The unmanned shuttle is also capable of safely landing on other planets, ITAR-TASS and Interfax news agencies quoted a top navy spokesman as saying.
The launch was made from the Barents Sea by the Ryazan nuclear submarine, with the shuttle attached to an intercontinental ballistic rocket called Volna (Wave) which is based on an earlier RSM-50 model (NATO designation SS-N-18).

The Russian navy said the shuttle has a special breaking device which allows it to cleanly attach itself to the ISS or softly land on another planet. Bureau Report