posted 01-27-2011 09:21 PM               

Progress M-09M launched to the space station

Progress M-09M (41P) lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Jan. 27 at 7:31 p.m. CST, reaching orbit nine minutes later. The unmanned supply spacecraft will arrive at the International Space Station (ISS) on Jan. 29 at 8:39 p.m.

In addition to its two-and-a-half-tons of food, supplies and spare parts for the Expedition 26 crew, Progress M-09M also has aboard some special items for the station's astronauts and cosmonauts, as well as payloads paying tribute to two Soviet space pioneers.

According to the Russian Federal Space Agency Roscosmos, several books, magazines and sweets were packed aboard for Russian flight engineers Alexander Kaleri, Dmitry Kondratiev and Oleg Skripocka.

The cargo craft also has a "Russian birthday gift" for ISS commander Scott Kelly. The present is marked "Not to open till Feb. 21," Kelly's birthday.

Progress M-09M is also delivering books by Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, the father of Russian cosmonautics, courtesy his grandson, Sergey Samburov.

The 24-foot long ship also carries a small amateur radio satellite that commemorates the upcoming 50th anniversary of cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin becoming the first human in space.

The 66-pound ARISSat-1, which was produced as a joint venture between the Radio Amateur Satellite Corp., NASA and RSC Energia, will be deployed into Earth orbit by hand during a spacewalk from the station. Once switched on, the minisat will transmit still pictures of Earth and play recorded greetings in 15 languages.

ARISSsat-1 will operate under the call sign "Kedr," the same Gagarin used aboard his historic Vostok flight on April 12, 1961.

posted 01-29-2011 09:02 PM               

Progress M-09M arrives at the space station

The 41st Russian cargo craft to arrive at the International Space Station, Progress M-09M docked to the Pirs docking compartment Saturday at 8:39 p.m. CST.

Credit: ESA/NASA

The Progress is carrying 1,918 pounds of propellant, 110 pounds of oxygen, 926 pounds of water and 3,080 pounds of spare parts and supplies to the station.

The unmanned vehicle performed the docking using its onboard Kurs automated rendezvous system.

posted 04-22-2011 08:12 AM               

Progress M-09M undocks from the station

Progress M-09M (41P), packed with refuse to be destroyed during a fiery reentry into the Earth's atmosphere, undocked today (April 22) from the International Space Station's Pirs docking compartment.

Physical separation was recorded at 6:41 a.m. CDT, followed by the Progress performing a separation burn three minutes later.

The undocking took place while the station was in sunlight. Orbital sunset occurred five minutes later, as Progress M-09M moved below and behind the ISS.

ISS Expedition 27 commander Dmitry Kondratyev monitored the undocking and photographed the Progress through a window in the Russian segment of the station as it slowly backed away from the orbiting complex.

The Russian supply vehicle will remain in orbit a safe distance from the station for engineering tests before being commanded by flight controllers on Tuesday to descend to a destructive reentry over the Pacific Ocean.

The departure of Progress M-09M clears the way for the next supply ship, M-10M (42P), which is set to launch on Wednesday from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

posted 04-27-2011 04:40 AM               

Progress M-09M was sunk in a remote area in the southern Pacific Ocean on April 26 after its engine was fired at 12:36 GMT to start its descent.

Unburnt parts of the freighter were sunk at the "spaceship cemetery" at about 13:23 GMT.