Official RSC Energia Press Release about the docking of Progress M1-3 logistics vehicle with the International Space Station
The first logistics vehicle under
ISS program, Progress M1-3, launched on August 6, 2000 form
Baikonur launch site, after two days of free flight in a low
Earth orbit, has docked with the International Space Station
(ISS) tonight.
The spacecraft approached a free docking port on
the ISS Service Module Zvezda located on its longitudinal axis
on the Assembly Compartment end. The docking contact occurred
at 0 hours 12 minutes 56 seconds Moscow Summer Time, when Progress
M1-3 and ISS were within the coverage of the Russian ground
tracking stations.
Progress M1-3 logistics vehicle delivered to ISS
about 1.5 tons of propellant for refueling the combined propulsion
system of Zvezda module and about 615 kg of various cargoes
and scientific equipment for additional outfitting of the module
systems to support the space station flight in manned mode.
As a result of the docking, an ISS vehicle stack
consisting of Progress M1-3 -Zvezda-Zarya-Unity with a total
mass of 60 tons was established in orbit.
This stack flies in low Earth orbit with inclination
of 51.6*, maximum altitude of 369.1 km and minimal altitude
of 351.0 km. Orbital period of the stack is 91.6 minutes.
The on-board systems of the spacecraft and the modules
function normally.
Progress M1-3 will be unloaded by a visiting crew,
which will be delivered to ISS the US Space Shuttle in the first
half of September 2000.
The flight of ISS consisting of Progress M1-3-Zvezda-Zarya-Unity
is controlled by the Lead Operational Control Team (LOCT) at
the Moscow Mission Control Center (MCC-M), Korolev, Moscow region.
Flight Director is V.A. Soloviev (a cosmonaut, one of the
key specialists of S.P. Korolev RSC Energia).
ISS mission is controlled in cooperation with the
US Mission Control Center (MCC-H), Houston, TX.
Present at MCC-M during the docking of Progress
M1-3 with ISS were Yu.P. Semenov (technical director for
the Russia’s manned space programs – Designer General of S.P. Korolev
RSC Energia, academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences),
lieutenant general V.A.Grin (chairman of the intergovernmental
commission), representatives of Rosaviacosmos and NASA, subcontractor
companies and organizations that took part in the manufacturing,
pre-launch processing and launch of Progress M1-3 and modules
of the Russian segment of the space station.
After the completion of the docking process and
analysis of the health of the spacecraft and modules systems
and equipment performed by LOCT on the basis of telemetry measurements,
a briefing was held at MCC-M for newsmen from Russia and abroad
representing major information agencies and TV programs who
were present at the docking. Flight Director V.A. Soloviev
answered newsmen’s questions.
On the whole, by completing the docking of Progress
M1-3, S.P. Korolev Rocket and Space Corporation Energia
has fulfilled all its obligations towards the President, the
Government of the Russian Federation and partners under ISS
project, with the government’s debt for completed work amounting
now to a sum of over 1 billion rubles.
Further implementation of the planned ISS program
and meeting Russia’s international obligations towards partner
countries of this project (USA, 11 participant countries of
ESA, Canada, Japan, Brazil) will depend on whether the Ministry
of Finance and Rosaviacosmos pay up the above arrears and provide
in a timely manner the budgetary funds need to cover the manufacturing
costs of modules, manned and transportation logistics vehicles.