Avi Blizovsky
The 22nd cargo spacecraft docked at the space station yesterday
By: Avi Blizovsky
A new Russian Progress cargo spacecraft docked with the International Space Station on Monday, carrying more than 2.5 tons of water fuel and supplies. The Progress 20 spacecraft was detached from the station to make way for the new spacecraft and is supposed to burn up in the atmosphere. It is possible that Progress 22 will dock regularly at the station, to increase the volume of storage available to crew members.
The unmanned spacecraft performed the docking maneuver fully automatically at the Pierce Airlock at 15:25 Israel time on Monday, while the station was hovering over Africa. As mentioned, this is the 22nd cargo spacecraft docked at the station and it was launched on Saturday from Baikonur in Kazakhstan.
Station Commander Pavel Vinogratov, and flight engineer Jeff Williams, opened the locker door after checking that there was no air leak, and started unloading the cargo already yesterday (Tuesday).
The supplies include food, fuel, oxygen and air, clothing, systems for scientific experiments and spare parts, as well as personal items from the families of the team members. The new spacecraft joined an earlier Progress spacecraft, 21, which arrived at the station in April. Progress 21 will continue to be docked there until mid-September and will then be used for garbage storage. The air inside will be used to renew the air in the station, if necessary.
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