A booster rocket heading for the International Space Station has failed mid-air.

The rocket was carrying a Soyuz spacecraft and American astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Alexei Ovchinin were onboard.

The malfunction happened just minutes after lift-off in Kazakhstan.

Footage from inside the spacecraft shows the two men being shaken around at the moment of failure.

The error meant the pair were forced to make an emergency landing.

Rescue teams were immediately scrambled.

Paratroopers parachuted in and found the crew members safe and 'feeling good' - according to Russian news agencies.

Doctors at the scene reported that neither had any injuries.

All Russian-manned space launches were immediately suspended following the failure.