After 2 Misfires, Space Station Finally Gets Fresh Supplies

Russian Progress M-28M docked successfully this morning
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Jul 5, 2015 5:30 AM CDT
After 2 Misfires, Space Station Finally Gets Fresh Supplies
   (Uncredited)

An unmanned Russian cargo ship has docked successfully at the International Space Station, where it was anxiously awaited by the US-Russian crew after the successive failures of two previous supply missions. The Progress M-28M ship, which is carrying 2.5 metric tons of fuel, oxygen, water, food, and other supplies, was launched into orbit on Friday from the Baikonur launch pad in Kazakhstan. Russian Mission Control said it docked successfully today in the automated mode at the orbiting space station.

The previous Progress launch in April had ended in failure and a week ago a US supply mission failed when SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket broke apart shortly after liftoff. The mishaps were preceded by last October's launch pad failure of Orbital Sciences' Antares rocket, also carrying station cargo for NASA. The space station, however, wasn't exactly starving: The three astronauts aboard had enough supplies to last through October even before this morning's shipment arrived, notes Space.com. Three more astronauts are set to join them later this month; a Japanese supply ship is set to take off in August. (More International Space Station stories.)

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