October 27, 2021

Active preparations continue at the Vostok launch complex of the Baikonur Cosmodrome for the Soyuz-2.1a rocket with Progress MS-18 cargo spacecraft launch under the International Space Station Russian program. On the previous day the Soyuz-2.1a/Progress MS-18 rocket was taken to the launchpad. Roscosmos subsidiaries’ specialists carried out work according to the first launch day schedule.

Today, preparations for Thursday’s launch continue. As part of the launch day two, technological prelaunch preparations are carried out. In the afternoon, the space rocket will undergo general test with the simulation of launch and flight until the separation of the spacecraft in the target orbit.

The Soyuz-2.1a carrier rocket with the Progress MS-18 cargo spacecraft is scheduled to launch on October 28, 2021 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome Launchpad 31. The spacecraft will deliver 470 kg of fuel, 420 liters of drinking water, 40 kg of air and oxygen, 1,509 kg of equipment and materials, medical and sanitary supplies, clothing items, standard rations and fresh food to the ISS.

Progress MS is the Russian unmanned transportation spacecraft. It is part of the Progress family of cargo spacecraft, which were built specifically for servicing orbital stations. It is used to deliver cargoes to the International Space Station, as well as to adjust its orbit. The craft is designed and manufactured by the Rocket and Space Corporation Energia.

Progress MS spacecraft has three compartments: cargo compartment (for placing dry cargo and water), instrument compartment and refueling component compartment (for delivering fuel to the station). Length: 7.2 m, maximal diameter: 2.72 m, liftoff mass: about 7.3 t. Can deliver a payload of about 2.6 t.

More from this category:
February 1, 2021

The CaSSIS camera onboard the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter has captured its 20 000th image of Mars! The image, taken on 13 December 2020, features…

full story
July 2, 2013

Previous week two assigned ISS crews made up of Alexander Samokutyaev, Elena Serova, Barry Wilmore and Anton Shkaplerov , Samantha Cristoforetti, Terry Werst had their…

full story
June 18, 2014

Preparation for the launch of Soyuz-ST-B with O3b space device  are under way at Soyuz launching pad in Guiana space centre (French Guiana). At the…

full story
September 28, 2020

On Sunday, September 27, ISS-64 mission crews both prime and back-up left for Baikonur from Chkalovsky airfield located in Moscow region by two different planes….

full story
October 23, 2020

Soyuz-2 booster with latest Glonass-K navigational satellite was rolled out from the integration and assembly building of Plesetsk launchsite for the launch planned for October…

full story
May 15, 2019

On May 14 specialists of RSC “Energia” and “Yuzhny” Space Center performed the transportation of the “Soyuz MS-13” spacecraft into a vacuum chamber at the…

full story
May 21, 2013

Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star city continues the series of experiments exploring cosmonauts’ ability to perform operator’s activities after long-duration space flight. On the…

full story
October 27, 2015

Analyzing the composition of dust samples from the ISS biologists found potentially pathogenic bacteria able to cause serious diseases under conditions of zero-gravity. Before going…

full story