Progress-MS modernized cargo vehicles will fly to the ISS since 2015. The improvements and introduced gradually and already being practiced on Progress-M, – RSC Energia Head Deputy Nickolay Bryukhanov reported.

“Progress-MS launch is planned for the second half of 2015. Roscosmos approved technical requirements and specified all necessary improvements”, – Bryukhanov stated.
According to him important changes will be added to many instruments that have proved themselves earlier onboard Progress-M vehicles.

Particularly Kvant-V onboard radio technical system with antenna feeder units is to be replaced with new integrated control telemetry ECTS system. Besides new Kurs-NA rendezvous system will be installed instead of the previous Kurs-A system, thus enabling to change for new element base with the organization of production in Russia, – RSC Energia Head deputy pointed out.

Cargo module of modernized vehicle also will be better protected from space debris and micrometeorites. Redundant electric motors will be added to docking mechanism and docking interface sealing to increase fault-tolerance capability as well.

Progress-MS will be equipped with new light emitting diode head-lamp and instead of orbit-track ground facilities data used today the new generation satellite navigational one will be applied in motion control system.