Official RSC Energia Press Release about the launch of Progress M1-3 logistics vehicle to the International Space Station

The first logistics vehicle under ISS program,
Progress M1-3, with the launch mass of 7290 kg has been launched
into a low Earth orbit.

This is already the third launch of a logistics vehicle of the
Progress M1 series. The first two vehicles in this series were
launched in spring of 2000 to Mir space station, and have successfully
verified the engineering solutions incorporated in these vehicles.

The vehicles of the Progress M1 series are designed and manufactured
by S.P.Korolev RSC Energia and subcontractor companies and organizations
in Russia and Ukraine.

The Progress M1-3 logistics vehicle was launched on Soyuz-U
launch vehicle. The launch occurred on August 6, 2000, from
Baikonur launch site at 22 hours 26 minutes 42 seconds Moscow
Summer Time.

Present at the launch site during the launch were members of
the Intergovernmental commission (chairman – lieutenant general
V.A.Grin), technical management for the Russia’s manned space
programs (Technical director for the Russia’s manned space programs
– Designer General, academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences,
Yu.P.Semenov), representatives of Rosaviacosmos, subcontractor
companies and organizations that took part in the manufacturing,
pre-launch processing and launch of launch vehicle Soyuz-U integrated
with logistics spacecraft Progress M1-3.

The spacecraft is put into an orbit with inclination of 51.67*,
maximum altitude of 244.0 km, and minimal altitude of 193.5
km.

The spacecraft on-board systems function normally.

The objective of the launch is to deliver propellant to ISS
to refuel the main propulsion system of the Zvezda Service Module,
as well as to deliver about 615 kg of other cargoes for
additional outfitting of the module systems to support the space
station flight in manned mode.

During its two days of flight, the spacecraft will perform a
number of dynamic operations: orientation, programmed turns,
orbital corrections that are needed to perform rendezvous and
docking with ISS which is set for 0 hours 14 minutes on August
9, 2000. The spacecraft will be docked to a free docking port
on Zvezda module located on its longitudinal axis on the propulsion
compartment end.

The launch of the next logistics vehicle, Progress M1-4, is
scheduled for the second half of September of this year.

The flight of the logistics vehicle Progress M1-3 and ISS, consisting
of modules Zvezda-Zarya-Unity, is controlled by the Lead Operational
Control Team (LOCT) at the Moscow Mission Control Center (MCC-M),
Korolev, Moscow region.

LOCT, headed by the Flight Director, cosmonaut V.A. Soloviev,
mostly consists of S.P.Korolev RSC Energia specialists. LOCT
also involves specialists from other subcontractor companies
and organizations.

ISS mission is controlled in cooperation with the US Mission
Control Center (MCC-H), Houston, TX.