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Sea
Launch Sends PAS 9 Into Orbit
A Russian Soyuz U
launched a Progress M1-3 supply flight to the International Space
Station (ISS) at 1826:42 UTC (11:26:42 a.m. PDT) August 6,
carrying 2434 kg of cargo (propellant and supplies). The flight
was launched from the Launch Complex 1 pad at Baikonur Cosmodrome. This is the first time a
Progress spacecraft has flown to ISS. The Progress was delivered
into a 193 by 244 km orbit. The automated flight and docking will
end August 9 at 2014 UTC (1:14 p.m. PDT) when the Progress vehicle
will dock with the aft port of the station's Zvezda command
module. ISS is currently in a 51.6o orbit having a 351
km perigee by 368 km apogee. The Progress will be used to reboost
the station to a 410 by 460 km orbit.
This Progress
flight includes 1559 kg of propellant, much of which will be
transferred to Zvezda to fill its tanks (which were partially
depleted during maneuvers to rendezvous and dock with the
station). The remainder of the propellant will be used by the
Progress to reboost the station to a higher orbit. Other equipment
aboard this Progress cargo flight, totaling 875 kg, includes a
carbon dioxide removal system, components for Zvezda's oxygen
generation system, parts for the station's toilet, two IBM
ThinkPad computers and other electrical gear. The spacecraft also
carries clothing, tools, brackets, myriad nuts and bolts, food
preparation equipment, air purification systems, television and
communications gear and components of other life support systems.
One of the tasks of the Atlantis mission in September will be to
offload the Progress vehicle to make way for a second Progress
later this fall. That Progress will be docked to a different port
to free Zvezda's aft port for a Soyuz crew flight in late
September.
The Progress M1
series have eight fuel tanks, not four fuel tanks characteristic
of the Progress M supply spacecraft. Depending on the launch
needs, the tanks may be adjusted to transport dry cargo. The cargo
ship weighs 7 metric tons and would normally transport about 2.3
metric tons of cargo.
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