February 15 (UPI) — Russia has launched an automatic cargo supply spacecraft to the Worldwide Area Station, with three tons of meals and different gadgets.
A Soyuz-2.1a rocket launched the Progress MS-26 transport ship into orbit Thursday morning native time, Russian state information company TASS reported.
Russia's refueling spacecraft additionally delivers practically 1,300 kilos of refueling propellant, 110 kilos of potable water and practically 90 kilos of compressed nitrogen in cylinders.
The spacecraft is predicted to reach on the ISS on Saturday and can dock with the Zvezda module after blasting off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Wednesday night.
Progress joins SpaceX's Dragon and Northrop Grumman's Cygnus as the one uncrewed provide ships to switch cargo and experiments to the Worldwide Area Station. Whereas Progress and Cygnus had been designed to fritter away within the Earth's ambiance on return, Dragon is reusable.
On February 1, Cygnus delivered 8,200 kilos of provides and science experiments to the Worldwide Area Station. One of many experiments contains the assorted assessments of 3D printers in microgravity, particularly within the manufacture of small metallic merchandise.
The utility of the 3D printer is seen as helpful for future journeys, akin to lengthy stays on the Moon and journey to Mars the place astronauts must make gadgets on the locations.
In accordance with NASA, greater than 260 people from 20 nations have visited the Worldwide Area Station because the first long-term residents in 2000.
