ROSCOSMOS - Russian Vehicles patch.
Feb. 9, 2021
The mission in orbit of the Progress MS-15 transport cargo vehicle, which lasted 201 days, is coming to an end. In accordance with the Russian flight program of the International Space Station, on the morning of February 9, 2021, at 08:21:30 Moscow time, the Progress MS-15 cargo vehicle undocked from the Pirs module of the International Space Station in the normal mode.
Undocking of Progress MS-15 from ISS
The hatches between the Russian "space truck" and the ISS were closed on February 8, 2021 at 13:40 Moscow time. On February 9 at 08:20 Moscow time, after the completion of operations to prepare for undocking, a command was issued to open the hooks of the Progress MS-15 spacecraft, it was undocked from the station and sent to "free sail." After the spacecraft was withdrawn to a safe distance from the station, the specialists of the Main Operational Control Group of the MCC (part of the State Corporation "Roscosmos") began the controlled descent of the spacecraft from near-earth orbit.
Undocking of Progress MS-15 from ISS
According to the calculations of the station's ballistic support service, the engines of the Progress MS-15 transport vehicle will be switched on at 11:30:11 Moscow time and, having worked out the prescribed braking impulse, will transfer the ship to the descent to the planet. At 12:13:08 Moscow time, non-combustible elements of its structure will fall in the calculated zone of the non-navigable region of the Pacific Ocean. The estimated area of the fall of unburned fragments of the ship is located approximately 1,680 km east of Wellington (New Zealand). The State Corporation "Roscosmos" has completed all the necessary procedures to establish this area as temporarily dangerous for navigation by sea and aircraft flights.
The Progress MS-15 cargo vehicle has been in the Russian segment of the International Space Station since July 23, 2020. Its launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome took place on July 23 at 17:26:21 Moscow time, and 3 hours 18 minutes 31 seconds after the launch, it docked to the Pirs docking compartment. Thus, the Progress MS-15 cargo vehicle set a new record for the flight time to the ISS. The Space Truck delivered cargoes with a total mass of more than 2.5 tons to the ISS, necessary to maintain the ISS flight in a manned mode and implement the program of scientific and applied research on board.
Progress MS-15 completed its flight
Today, February 9, 2021, at 08:21:30 Moscow time, the Progress MS-15 transport cargo vehicle undocked from the Pirs module of the International Space Station. After its withdrawal to a safe distance from the ISS, the specialists of the Main Operational Control Team of the ISS Russian Segment began the controlled de-orbiting of the spacecraft.
In accordance with the program embedded in his on-board computer on commands from the Flight Control Center of TsNIIMash (part of the State Corporation Roscosmos), at 11:30:11 Moscow time, the main engine was turned on for braking. After working for 3 minutes 30 seconds, he reported to the "truck" a braking impulse of 116 meters per second. After that "Progress MS-15" left the near-earth orbit and ceased to exist. Fragments of the ship that were not burnt in the dense layers of the atmosphere fell at about 12:13 Moscow time at the "cemetery of spaceships" in the non-navigable region of the South Pacific.
Progress MS-15 free flight
Russian crew members of ISS-64, Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergei Ryzhikov and Sergei Kud-Sverchkov have begun preparations for the arrival of the next Russian "truck". The vacated berth of the International Space Station of the Pirs docking compartment on February 17, 2021 is to be occupied by the Progress MS-16 transport cargo vehicle, which will deliver 2.5 tons of various cargoes to ensure the life of the station and the crew. Currently, final operations are being carried out with him in the assembly and testing building of the Baikonur Cosmodrome. Its launch from launch pad 31 is scheduled for 15 February.
The new cargo ship is to deliver 600 kg of refueling fuel, 420 liters of drinking water for the Rodnik system and 40.5 kg of compressed gases with additional nitrogen reserves, as well as about 1,400 kg of various equipment and materials, including the resource equipment of onboard control and life support systems. packing for space experiments, medical control and sanitary and hygienic supplies, clothing items, standard food rations and fresh food for the crew members of the active expedition. In addition, in the cargo compartment there is a repair and restoration kit consisting of a set of reinforcing linings with an adhesive bond designed for temporary sealing of the detected defects in the housing of the transition chamber of the Zvezda service module.
ROSCOSMOS Press Release: https://www.roscosmos.ru/29936/
ROSCOSMOS Press Release: https://www.roscosmos.ru/29938/
Related link:
Progress MS-16: https://www.roscosmos.ru/29933/
Images, Video, Text, Credits: ROSCOSMOS/Orbiter.ch Aerospace/Roland Berga.
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