Photo Report: Progress M-66 Spacecraft Launched From Baikonur Cosmodrome

February 10, 2009. Baikonur launch site, branch office of S.P.Korolev RSC Energia

At 08 hours 49 minutes 46 seconds Moscow Time transport cargo vehicle Progress M-66 was launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome as per Mission Program and the commitments undertaken by the Russian side under the International Space Station (ISS) Project.

The launch objective is to deliver onboard the ISS various cargoes, required to keep the station operating in a manned mode and support crew life-sustaining environment and operating conditions. Reserves of oxygen, air, food products, fuel, consumables, apparatus, equipment, on-board documentation and e.t.c. were launched into orbit from the Earth. Total cargoes mass is about 2,4 t.

The transport cargo vehicle was inserted into reference near-earth orbit with the following parameters: inclination of 51,63 ; minimum altitude of 192,5 km; maximum altitude of 249,6 km; orbital period of 88,62 min.

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