Supply-laden Russian cargo carrier docks at space station

From Science Fair: Supply-laden Russian cargo carrier docks at space station


A fresh load of supplies and equipment has arrived at the International Space Station after a robotic Russian space freighter eased up to the outpost and docked at the back end of the Russian side of the complex.

Two months after an aborted docking, station commander Alexander Skvortsov was ready to take manual control of the approaching spacecraft but its automated docking system worked as intended and the Progress 39 vehicle hooked up with the outpost without incident.

The docking took place at 7:58 a.m. ET Sunday as the spacecraft flew 216 miles above Mongolia.

A loss of telemetry during a July 2 docking attempt caused the Progress 38 spacecraft to fly by the station at a safe distance. Flight controllers figured out the problem and the craft docked safely two days later.

The Progress 39 vehicle is carrying 1,918 pounds of propellant, 110 pounds of oxygen, 375 pounds of water and 2,645 pounds of spare parts, experiment hardware and other supplies. It launched Friday from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

By Todd Halvorson, FLORIDA TODAY