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Progress M-14M/46P Updates
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Progress M-14M ends its Mission via Re-Entry
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April 28, 2012
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Progress M-14M has successfully ended its Mission with a targeted destructive re-entry over the Pacific Ocean, according to the Russian Space Agency Roscosmos. Surviving components of the vehicle splashed down in a specific area in the Pacific at 14:39 GMT, far away from populated areas.
This marked the official end of the Progress M-14M Mission which was dedicated to International Space Station Resupply and the Radar-Progress Experiment. After making its resupply mission and delivering 2,800 Kilograms of Cargo to the Space Station, the Progress Vehicle conducted 9 days of free Flight following its undocking on April 19. This portion of the mission was dedicated to the Radar-Progress Experiment that has been conducted on several previous flights, the most recent being Progress M-09M in 2011. This is a geophysical experiment that assesses the density, size and reflectivity of the ionosphere environment around the spacecraft - caused by engine burns the vehicle makes. Plasma Distortions caused by engine burns are spread over several kilometers around the Spacecraft and can be present for more than 10 minutes. |
Photo: NASA
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These engine maneuvers were made while the Vehicle was tracked by the Institute of Solar-Terrestrial Physics (ISZF), Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Irkutsk). Data on ionosphere irregularities, reflection characteristics of the cargo vehicle and VHF signal and its distortions, have been acquired as the vehicle passed over the Tracking Station. A total of six experiment sessions were performed over the course of the Free Flight. The Experiment is being conducted on several Progress Missions from 2010 through 2014.
For more details on the Progress M-14M Mission, refer to previous Mission Updates on this site.
For more details on the Progress M-14M Mission, refer to previous Mission Updates on this site.
Progress M-14M departs ISS to start its Free Flight
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April 19, 2012
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Photo: NASA
Progress M-14M during Rendezvous in January
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The Progress M-14M, also called 46P in the US Numbering System, has successfully undocked from the International Space Station on Thursday, April 19 at 11:04 GMT to make room for the next Progress Resupply Spacecraft that will launch on April 20 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. Refer to the M-15M Updates Site for more information about ongoing Launch Processing activities. Undocking occurred while the complex was orbiting nearly 400 Kilometers over the Mongolian border heading for a pass over China.
After docking on January 28, 2012, 2,800 Kilograms of cargo were delivered to the International Space Station. This cargo includes fuel for the Station’s engines, oxygen for its atmosphere, water for several different applications and 1,410 Kilograms of dry cargo delivered inside the sealed cargo compartment. Over 300kg of food were part of the dry cargo. In addition to that, several items needed for upcoming ISS science activities have now been brought to the Station. 199kg of equipment for the US Segment of the station have been aboard the spacecraft. Also, about 200 Kilograms of crew items like clothes and personal items for the next ISS Expeditions are part of the cargo delivered on this mission. |
To set
the stage for undocking, ISS Crewmemers loaded the Progress Cargo
Campartment with trash and no-longer-needed items for disposal via
destructive re-entry.
Unlike most Progress Spacecraft, Progress M-14M will not make its deorbit burn shortly after undocking. After departing the Station, the capsule is now beginning nine Days of free flight dedicated to the Radar-Progress Experiment that has been conducted on several previous flights, the most recent being Progress M-09M in 2011. This is a geophysical experiment that assesses the density, size and reflectivity of the ionosphere environment around the spacecraft - caused by engine burns the vehicle makes. Plasma Distortions caused by engine burns are spread over several kilometers around the Spacecraft and can be present for more than 10 minutes. These engine maneuvers are made while the Vehicle is being tracked by the Institute of Solar-Terrestrial Physics (ISZF), Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Irkutsk). Data on ionosphere irregularities, reflection characteristics of the cargo vehicle and VHF signal and its distortions, will be acquired as the vehicle passes over the Tracking Station. The Experiment is being conducted on several Progress Missions from 2010 through 2014.
On April 28, 2012, the Vehicle will fire its Engines to make a deorbit burn starting at 10:33 GMT. Shortly thereafter, the vehicle will burn up during re-entry in Earth's Atmosphere. Surviving debris will fall in the Pacific Ocean - away from populated areas.
Photo Gallery: Progress M-14M Undocking
Unlike most Progress Spacecraft, Progress M-14M will not make its deorbit burn shortly after undocking. After departing the Station, the capsule is now beginning nine Days of free flight dedicated to the Radar-Progress Experiment that has been conducted on several previous flights, the most recent being Progress M-09M in 2011. This is a geophysical experiment that assesses the density, size and reflectivity of the ionosphere environment around the spacecraft - caused by engine burns the vehicle makes. Plasma Distortions caused by engine burns are spread over several kilometers around the Spacecraft and can be present for more than 10 minutes. These engine maneuvers are made while the Vehicle is being tracked by the Institute of Solar-Terrestrial Physics (ISZF), Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Irkutsk). Data on ionosphere irregularities, reflection characteristics of the cargo vehicle and VHF signal and its distortions, will be acquired as the vehicle passes over the Tracking Station. The Experiment is being conducted on several Progress Missions from 2010 through 2014.
On April 28, 2012, the Vehicle will fire its Engines to make a deorbit burn starting at 10:33 GMT. Shortly thereafter, the vehicle will burn up during re-entry in Earth's Atmosphere. Surviving debris will fall in the Pacific Ocean - away from populated areas.
Photo Gallery: Progress M-14M Undocking
Undocking Video
Progress M-14M arrives at ISS
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January 28, 2012
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The Progress M-14M Spacecraft has arrived at the International Space Station today to begin a busy period of Station Resupply. Docking was right on time and took place at 00:09 GMT on Staurday, January 28, 2012 (7:09pm EST on Friday). The Progress launched in the early hours of Thursday (local time) from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan (late Wednesday GMT).
The Vehicle executed all docking commands in automated mode and performed a flawless Rendezvous Maneuver and Docking Sequence. Rendezvous operations started about three hours after launch when the first of four large Rendezvous Burns were performed to link up with the orbiting outpost. The crew of ISS adjusted their sleep cycles to accommodate the docking time of the vehicle. The Russian Crewmembers were monitoring activities of the Progress closely and were ready to take action and take over manual control over the spacecraft via the TORU System should the automated KURS Guidance System have failed for some reason. As the Progress approached the Pirs Docking Compartment, a short period of Stationkeeping was performed to give personnel inside Mission Control the opportunity to the the Vehicle’s alignment. As alignment was very precise, the GO for Final Approach was given right on schedule, causing an on-time docking of of the Progress. Soft Docking was nominal and a hard mate of the spacecraft was being established as relative motions between ISS and Progress dampen out. Now, operations to conduct leak checks and open the hatch to the cargo compartment are getting underway aboard the Station. Once hatches are open, several weeks of Progress unloading and unpacking will get underway as M-14M delivers 2.8 tons of cargo to ISS. This cargo includes fuel for the Station’s engines, oxygen for its atmosphere, water for several different applications and 1,410 Kilograms of dry cargo delivered inside the sealed cargo compartment. |
Photo: NASA
Progress M-13M just before Docking
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Over
300kg of food are part of the dry cargo. In addition to that, several
items needed for upcoming ISS science activites have now been brought to
the Station. 199kg of equipment for the US Segment of the station are
aboard the spacecraft. Also, about 200 Kilograms of crew items like
clothes and personal items for the next ISS Expeditions are part of the
cargo delivered on this mission.
This Progress vehicle will remain docked with the Pirs Module until late April of this year. Meanwhile, the next Russian Mission to the International Spce Station has been delayed due to technical issues. Refer to our Soyuz TMA-04M Updates Page for more details. Wether this delay will have an impact on M-14M’s Mission is uncertain at this time.
This Progress vehicle will remain docked with the Pirs Module until late April of this year. Meanwhile, the next Russian Mission to the International Spce Station has been delayed due to technical issues. Refer to our Soyuz TMA-04M Updates Page for more details. Wether this delay will have an impact on M-14M’s Mission is uncertain at this time.
Progress M-14M in Orbit after flawless Launch
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January 25, 2012
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A Soyuz-U
Rocket carrying the Progress M-14M Spacecraft lifted off from the Baikonur
Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, today at 23:06 GMT (6:06pm EST) while the International Space Station was orbiting over Africa.
The Launch Vehicle blasted off in typical winter conditions in Kazakhstan after a flawless countdown that began earlier in the day. Launch was on time in the morning hours local time just after 5am. The Soyuz Launch Vehicle performed as expected and inserted the Progress into orbit 8 Minutes and 45 Seconds after launch. Just after separating from the third stage of the rocket, M-14M deployed solar arrays and communication antennas to start on orbit operations. It will make four large Rendezvous burns. The first three will take place tomorrow at 2:47, 3:18 and 23:43 GMT. The fourth engine firing occurs on Friday at around 22:09 GMT just after the automated Rendezvous sequence is scheduled to begin. The Spacecraft will perform an automated docking maneuver to the Pirs Docking Compartment on the Russian Segment of ISS. Docking is planned for Saturday at 00:09 GMT (7:09pm EST on Friday). After docking, the crew will perform hatch opening procedures to gain access to the cargo compartment. More work to outfitt the hatchway of the vehicle will be done such as the installation of sensors. Unloading and unpacking the cargo that will be delivered on Progress M-14M will be taking several weeks. Progress M-14M will deliver 930 Kilograms of Propellant for use by the ISS for Reboosts and other maneuvers, 50kg of Oxygen to top-off the ISS Atmosphere, 420kg of water and 1,260kg of dry cargo. The dry cargo includes experiment material, food, personal items for the astronauts such as clothing and hygiene supplies as well as other items needed for daily life aboard the complex. The Spacecraft will be docked to ISS until late April when its mission is going to come to an end.
Photo Galllery: Progress M-14M Launch
The Launch Vehicle blasted off in typical winter conditions in Kazakhstan after a flawless countdown that began earlier in the day. Launch was on time in the morning hours local time just after 5am. The Soyuz Launch Vehicle performed as expected and inserted the Progress into orbit 8 Minutes and 45 Seconds after launch. Just after separating from the third stage of the rocket, M-14M deployed solar arrays and communication antennas to start on orbit operations. It will make four large Rendezvous burns. The first three will take place tomorrow at 2:47, 3:18 and 23:43 GMT. The fourth engine firing occurs on Friday at around 22:09 GMT just after the automated Rendezvous sequence is scheduled to begin. The Spacecraft will perform an automated docking maneuver to the Pirs Docking Compartment on the Russian Segment of ISS. Docking is planned for Saturday at 00:09 GMT (7:09pm EST on Friday). After docking, the crew will perform hatch opening procedures to gain access to the cargo compartment. More work to outfitt the hatchway of the vehicle will be done such as the installation of sensors. Unloading and unpacking the cargo that will be delivered on Progress M-14M will be taking several weeks. Progress M-14M will deliver 930 Kilograms of Propellant for use by the ISS for Reboosts and other maneuvers, 50kg of Oxygen to top-off the ISS Atmosphere, 420kg of water and 1,260kg of dry cargo. The dry cargo includes experiment material, food, personal items for the astronauts such as clothing and hygiene supplies as well as other items needed for daily life aboard the complex. The Spacecraft will be docked to ISS until late April when its mission is going to come to an end.
Photo Galllery: Progress M-14M Launch
Soyuz rolled to Launch Pad
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January 24, 2012
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Launch Preparations for the next International Space Station Resupply Mission are reaching the final steps at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan from where a Soyuz-U Launch Vehicle will lift off with Progress M-14M on January 25, 2012 at 23:06 GMT (6:06pm EST). To prepare for the arrival of the next cargo ship, the previous Progress (M-13M) undocked from ISS on Monday. It will deliver a small satellite to orbit before ultimately ending its mission by re-entering the Earth’s Atmosphere. In preparation for launch, the Soyuz Rocket was rolled to the Launch Complex earlier today. The Vehicle was placed in its erect launch position and umbilicals were attached. Final vehicle inspections and checkouts will be performed before countdown activities start tomorrow. Final Launch Preparations started in January 19 when the Progress Capsule was fueled for flight and transported from its processing facility where early processing and cargo loading took place, to the Spacecraft Assembly and Testing Facility. There, final inspections were performed before the vehicle was placed in its Payload Shroud which will protect it at the launch pad and during atmospheric flight. On January 22, the spacecraft was moved again for launch vehicle integration. The Soyuz Booster was integrated in a separate facility over the course of several weeks in preparation for the mission. With the attachment of the payload, the lengthy integration process concluded on January 23. Managers of the Russian Space Program gave a formal approval to press into final Operations and the Launch Countdown. The State Commission will have one more meeting prior to vehicle fueling. After launching tomorrow, the Progress will be in free flight for two days performing several Rendezvous Burns to link up with ISS for a docking on Saturday at 00:08 GMT (Friday, 7:08pm EST). The 46P Spacecraft as it is known in the US Numbering System, will remain docked at the Pirs Module until April 24. Progress M-14M will deliver 930 Kilograms of Propellant for use by the ISS for Reboosts and other maneuvers, 50kg of Oxygen to top-off the ISS Atmosphere, 420kg of water and 1,260kg of dry cargo. The dry cargo includes experiment material, food, personal items for the astronauts such as clothing and hygiene supplies as well as other items needed for daily life aboard the complex. Photo Gallery: M-14M Processing/Integration Photo Gallery: Launch Vehicle Integration Photo Gallery: Soyuz/Progress Rollout |
Photo: Energia
Photo: Energia
Photo: Energia
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