M-46 cargo vehicle launched to ISS
Under the International Space Station (ISS) Mission Program,
Progress M-46 cargo vehicle was launched at 09:36:30 Moscow
Summer Time.
Following 530 seconds of the Soyuz-U launch vehicle operation,
the space vehicle was injected into an orbit having the
following parameters: maximum and minimum altitudes of 242.4
km and 193.4 km, respectively; orbital period of 88.56 minutes
and inclination if 51.64°. The onboard systems of the space
vehicle operate normally in a design mode.
The launch objective is to deliver the cargoes with a total
mass of 2580 kg to the ISS to ensure life support and activities
of the 5th ISS Prime Crew (ISS-5).
The vehicle carries 825 kg of propellant for the Station
accommodated in the refuelling system tanks, 50 kg of oxygen
held in the oxygen supply system bottles, 250 kg of propellant
in the propulsion system tanks, as well as 1455 kg of dry
goods involving the equipment for thermal control system
and electric power; atmospheric revitalization system; fire-fighting
and self-protecting aids; medical, sanitary-hygienic and
wate Nœpply systems; food rations, including fresh food
product packages; kits of flight data files, video- and
photographic equipment.
The space vehicle is to be docked to the ISS on June 29,
2002 at 10:25.
For the space vehicle to be docked, an axial docking port
of the Zvezda Module is released. On June 25, 2002 Progress
M1-8 cargo vehicle departed from this docking port. After
its moving away from the Station and generation of deorbit
impulse Progress M1-8 cargo vehicle was transferred to the
descent trajectory and ceased to exist in a specified area
of the Pacific ocean waters.
The Progress M-46 cargo vehicle processing and launch at
Baikonur cosmodrome were accomplished under the direction
of the State Committee Co-Chairmen, the Secretary of State,
the first Deputy General Director of Rosaviakosmos N.F.
Moiseev; Deputy Director TSNII of Machinebuilding V.A. Grin,
as well as Yu.P. Semenov, the Technical Manager of the Russian
Manned Programs, General Designer of RSC Energia after S.P.
Korolev, Academician of the RAS.
The space vehicle and station flight is controlled by the
Lead Operational Control Team (LOCT) located at the Mission
Control Center (MCC-M), Moscow area, Korolev. The flight
director is Pilot-Cosmonaut Vladimir Soloviev.
According to the telemetry information and the reports coming
from ISS?5 crew, Valery Korzun (Commander), Sergei Treschev
and Peggy Witson (Flight Engineers), all ISS onboard systems
operate normally. The Station is prepared to carry the space
vehicle.
The ISS with mass of about 146.3 tons currently operates
in orbit consisting of Functional Cargo Block Zarya, Service
Module Zvezda, docking compartment Pirs, Soyuz TM-33 manned
transport vehicle, as well as modules Unity, Destiny and
airlock Quest. All ISS onboard systems operate in a design
mode.
