December 2, 2016

Progress MS-04 cargo vehicle launched to the ISS on December 01, 2016, at 17:51:52, Moscow time, burst at the altitude of 190 km above desolate mountain area in Tuva region. Most parts of the spacecraft burned in dense atmosphere.
The vehicle was to deliver to the ISS more than 2,5 tons of cargoes including propellant components, water, pressurized gas, Lada-2 space greenhouse designated to be used for growing sweet pepper onboard, Orlan-MKS modified spacecraft equipped with automated thermal control system that would enable cosmonauts not to spend time on turning heating system on and off manually and new year parcels for ISS-50 crew members.
First minutes of flight after the launch all systems including 1st and 2nd stages operated nominally. When 3rd stage was ignited MCC specialists started having problems with telemetry. According to preliminary data 3rd stage engine could have been ignited ahead of time. The specialists failed to obtain precise info so far.
According to Roscosmos telemetry was lost at 383 second of the flight.
At the same time they received data on navigation system antenna deployment. Solar arrays also started deploying but it is not clear whether the deployed to the full extent.
Soyuz-U that was planned to orbit next Progress will be thoroughly checked by the specialists and the launch will be shifted to an uncertain date until the investigation board finishes its work. There is also a strong possibility that because of Progress MS-04 crash next vehicle Progress MS-05 will be launched ahead of initial schedule.

More from this category:
May 17, 2013

According to the ISS flight program station reboost maneuver was completed on May 17, 2013. As MCC press-service reports, according to ballistics and navigational support…

full story
March 14, 2016

Proton-M booster with ExoMars-2016 station designated to search for life forms on Mars was launched from Baikonur spaceport today on March 14, 2016. The main task…

full story
July 7, 2021

The Research and Production Corporation ‘Precision Instruments Systems’ (NPK SPP, part of Roscosmos) and the South African National Space Agency (SANSA) have signed a contract…

full story
February 12, 2015

International cooperation to expand peaceful uses of outer space is one of Roscosmos’ main priorities. Roscosmos representative Valery Zaichko addressed the 52th session of  Scientific…

full story
October 29, 2020

Russian cosmonauts working aboard the ISS Sergey Ryzhikov and Sergey Kud-Sverchkov are going to perform a spacewalk on November 18, –  Roscosmos press office reports….

full story
May 13, 2016

According to Khrunichev Centre Deputy Director Alexander Medvedev financing the development of new Phoenix booster with carrying capacity from 9 to 15 tons will start…

full story
April 4, 2019

The “Progress MS-11” cargo spaceship at 17:22 (Moscow time) docked to the IInternational Space Station (ISS) and became the fastest spacecraft in the history of…

full story
July 23, 2014

Soyuz-U with Progress M-24M was rolled out to the launchpad of Baikonur spaceport, the launch is scheduled for 01.44, Moscow time, July 24, – Roscosmos…

full story