Last night saw the launch of a resupply mission to the ISS atop a Russian Progress rocket — a pretty routine event (as far as firing things into low-earth orbit will ever be routine), but an important one given recent events. Thankfully, it seems like everything went fine and nothing exploded this time around.
Carrying 2700kg of food, fuel and new science toys for the crew on the ISS, Progress 60 lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 12.55am EST (2.55pm AEST) yesterday. The launch and subsequent separation of the capsule went without a hitch, and the cargo craft should be docking with the ISS on Sunday morning.
Although Progress has a track record of successful launches, the last Progress mission in April failed after the spacecraft didn’t make it all the way into the proper orbit. Combined with the explosions of the Orbital and SpaceX rockets recently, and a lot is riding on this resupply run to the ISS.
[NASA]