spacetoday.net: Progress cargo spacecraft spins out of control after launch

Posted: Wed, Apr 29, 2015, 8:53 AM ET (1253 GMT)
Soyuz launch of Progress M-27M (RSC Energia)

A Progress cargo spacecraft started spinning out of control shortly after its launch Tuesday, and Russian officials were increasingly pessimistic about the prospects of restoring control. A Soyuz-2.1a rocket launched the Progress M-27M spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome at 3:09 am EDT (0709 GMT) Tuesday. The launch appeared to go well, but shortly after the Progress reached orbit it started to spin out of control. Efforts to restore control of the spacecraft Tuesday and early Wednesday failed, and Russian officials now suggest the spacecraft may be lost. The spacecraft was carrying more than 2,700 kilograms of cargo for the station, including some backup hardware and clothing for NASA. None of the cargo was considered essential, and NASA said there is plenty of food, water, and other consumables on the station for its six-person crew.