posted 05-16-2015 10:02 AM               

This thread is for readers' comments and questions about Russia's Progress M-26M cargo spacecraft and the updates published here.

The Progress M-26M spacecraft launched on Feb. 17, 2015 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan and docked to the International Space Station the same day.

Progress M-26M is the 58th Russian cargo spacecraft to be launched to the International Space Station.

posted 05-16-2015 10:06 AM               

A problem with the control system likely made it impossible to start the engines of the Progress M-26M cargo craft that was set to raise the orbit of the International Space Station.

A new attempt to correct the space station's orbit could take place within a week after consultations with NASA experts, Russian sources say.

"According to preliminary data, there was no confirmation of the possibility to turn on the engines of the cargo craft. This is a whole procedure preceding the start of the engines themselves. It is possible that the problem is in the control system," the source told RIA Novosti.

"The Russian Mission Control Center was informed of the fact that the Progress' engines did not start on time by our American colleagues in Houston. The orbit correction was not carried out," the source told RIA Novosti.

The crew of the International Space Station (ISS) was not involved in the failed operation to raise the station's orbit, and all is well with the astronauts, a source familiar with the situation said Saturday.

posted 05-16-2015 04:03 PM               

Experts of the Mission Control Center (MCC) know reasons of the emergency situation as they tried to correct the orbit of the International Space Station on May 16 and are ready to make the correction in small hours on Monday, Vladimir Solovyev, head of the Russian segment control, told TASS on Saturday.

"We have a general understanding of the reason, though not final, we need some more time," he said. "As yet, I would rather not name the reason. We have a reserve option to make the maneuver in small hours of May 18."

posted 05-17-2015 09:35 PM               

According to preliminary information, everything was carried out as normal. The engines were switched on at a designated time and worked for 30 minutes… The average value of the station's orbit increased by approximately 3 kilometers [1.86 miles].