Progress MS-08: Unmanned Russian Cargo Ship launched to Space Station

Russian space agency Roskosmos has successfully launched Progress MS-08, an unmanned cargo spacecraft for the International Space Station (ISS). It was launched onboard of Soyuz-2.1a rocket from Russian-leased Baikonur launch facility in Kazakhstan. Soyuz-2.1a has four strap-on boosters and core engine, all fueled by mix of kerosene and liquid oxygen.

Key Facts

The Progress-class capsule was carrying 2.7 tons of food, fuel, and other supplies. It was also carrying equipment for the German-Russian ICARUS research project aimed at studying wildlife-migration patterns. The robotic cargo capsule is docking with ISS’s Zvezda service module.
The capsule is packed with 1,390 kilograms of equipment, scientific hardware, food and supplies for orbiting lab’s six-person crew, plus 890 kilograms of propellant for station, plus 420 kilograms of water, 24 kilograms of compressed air and 22 kilograms of compressed oxygen.
The ISS, which is orbiting 400 kilometers above Earth is currently manned by six astronauts including three from US, two from Russia and one from Japan.

Month: Current Affairs - February, 2018