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Cargo delivery craft docks with the space station BY SPACEFLIGHT NOW Posted: May 15, 2007 The International Space Station overnight received its 25th resupply ship when a Russian-built freighter loaded with fuel, water and cargo safely docked to the orbiting complex. The Progress M-60 vehicle linked up to the aft port of the Zvezda service module at 1:10 a.m. EDT as the two spacecraft flew 220 miles above the Pacific Ocean off the northeastern coast of Australia. "Docking confirmed right on the money, right on time," NASA spokesman Rob Navias said from Mission Control-Houston. The ship was launched at 11:25 p.m. EDT Friday for a three-day flight to the station. A Soyuz rocket placed the 24-foot long Progress into an initial orbit that was later adjusted by a series of planned engine firings to rendezvous with the station. This morning's docking occurred smoothly under autopilot control by the spacecraft. Cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin was poised to use joysticks and a video screen to manually fly the final approach from inside the station. But that backup plan wasn't required. It was the second Progress flight to the station this year and the 25th since 2000. The craft is loaded with 5,125 pounds of supplies. The "dry" cargo amounts to 3,042 pounds in the form of spare parts, repair gear, life support and science experiment hardware. The refueling module carries 1,058 pounds of propellant for transfer into the Russian segment of the station to feed the outpost's maneuvering thrusters. To replenish the station's oxygen supply, the Progress is bringing 99 pounds of air. Also aboard is fresh water, amounting to 926 pounds. The station residents were planning to complete leak checks and open the hatchway leading into the Progress by 4 a.m. EDT this morning. Yurchikhin, commander of the Expedition 15 long-duration crew, is joined on the station by flight engineers Oleg Kotov and Suni Williams. Yurchikhin and Kotov began their six-month mission in April, while Williams has been living aboard the complex since December. Shuttle Atlantis will launch Williams' replacement, Clay Anderson, next month and bring her home to complete a half-year in space. |
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Current Shuttle Mission Patch Free shipping to U.S. addresses! The official embroidered patch for shuttle Endeavour's flight to launch the Tranquility module and cupola to the space station now available in our store!Expedition 20 The official embroidered patch for the International Space Station Expedition 20 crew is now available from our stores.![]() Ares Patch The Ares Project will develop two new rockets to launch astronauts back to the Moon under NASA's Vision for Exploration. The Ares 1 will employ a single space shuttle solid rocket booster to loft the Orion crew capsule. The gigantic Ares 5 will haul the equipment and cargo needed for such lunar voyages. This is the Ares emblem.One Giant Leap
Hosted by Corbin Bernsen, this award winning documentary marks the 50th anniversary of the U.S. space agency and features exclusive interviews with veteran astronauts.Expedition 21 The official embroidered patch for the International Space Station Expedition 21 crew is now available from our stores. |
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