spacetoday.net: Soyuz launches ISS cargo spacecraft

Posted: Sun, Jun 8, 2003, 10:17 AM ET (1417 GMT)
Soyuz launch (Energia file photo)

A Soyuz booster launched a Progress cargo spacecraft Sunday carrying supplies for the International Space Station. The Soyuz lifted off from Baikonur at 6:34 am EDT (1034 GMT) Sunday and placed its payload, the Progress M1-10 spacecraft, into low Earth orbit ten minutes later. The Progress spacecraft is scheduled to dock with the Pirs docking module of the ISS at 7:17 am EDT (1117 GMT) Wednesday. Progress M1-10 is carrying 2,400 kilograms of food, water, propellant, and other supplies for the station and its two-man crew. Progress M1-10 will join Progress M-47, which has been docked to the ISS since February and is currently located at the aft port of the Zvezda service module. This will mark the first time two Progress have been docked to the ISS simultaneously, and is being done to allow them to handle much of the station's attitude control and orbit raising. The launch is also the fourth by Russia in less than a week, a launch surge not seen by Russia in recent years.