Photos: Preparing Progress M-09M/41P For Launch

Progress Cargo Droid [Progress M-09M/41P – #709] was launched tonight at 8:31pm EST from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan. It is scheduled to arrive and dock with the ISS on 29 January 2011 at 9:39 pm EST. These photos show how it was prepared for launch.

Click on images below to enlarge.

January 26, 2011. Baikonur launch site, branch office of S.P. Korolev RSC Energia

At Baikonur launch site the preparations continue for the launch of Progress M-09M cargo vehicle under the International Space Station program. Soyuz-U launch vehicle was rolled out from the integration building to the launch pad. Soyuz-U launch vehicle with Progress M-09M transport vehicle is installed on the launch pad. L-2 days activities have been started.

January 25, 2011. Baikonur launch site, branch office of S.P. Korolev RSC Energia

At Baikonur launch site the preparations continue for the launch of Progress M-09M cargo vehicle under the International Space Station program. Orbital module of the Soyuz-U launch vehicle, containing Progress M-09M spacecraft was integrated with the Soyuz-U launch vehicle in the processing facility.

Technical management meeting and Government Commission meeting were convened. A decision is made to roll out Soyuz-U launch vehicle with Progress M-09M transport vehicle to the launch pad.

January 24, 2011. Baikonur launch site, branch office of S.P. Korolev RSC Energia

In the scope of operations for prelaunch processing of cargo transport vehicle (CTV) Progress M-09M under the International Space Station program small spacecraft – satellite Kedr was accommodated in the vehicle cargo compartment on January 18. The satellite is designed to carry out space experiment RadioSkaf: development, preparation and launch of supersmall spacecraft during extravehicular activity (EVA). The experiment investigator is S.P. Korolev RSC Energia. The launch of CTV Progress M-09M is scheduled to be performed on January 28 at 04:31 Moscow Time.

For reference: The satellite mass is 30 kg, its dimensions are 550 x 550 x 400 mm. Its name is accepted by call sign Kedr of the first cosmonaut of the Earth – our compatriot Yu.A. Gagarin. Yu.A. Gagarin had this call sign when he performed his flight onboard manned spacecraft Vostok. The spacecraft and the launch vehicle delivered Vostok to orbit were developed under the direction of S.P. Korolev by OKB-1 staff (now it is RSC Energia) in cooperation with enterprises and organizations of the rocket & space industry of the country.

January 24, 2011. Baikonur launch site, branch office of S.P. Korolev RSC Energia

At Baikonur launch site the preparations continue for the launch of Progress M-09M cargo vehicle under the International Space Station program. Orbital module of the Soyuz-U launch vehicle, containing Progress M-09M spacecraft was transported from the spacecraft processing facility for the general integration with LV.

January 23, 2011. Baikonur launch site, branch office of S.P. Korolev RSC Energia

At Baikonur launch site the preparations continue for the launch of Progress M-09M cargo vehicle under the International Space Station program. Designers inspection of the Progress M-09M transport cargo vehicle was completed.

Payload shroud roll on to the cargo vehicle was performed.

January 20, 2011. Baikonur launch site, branch office of S.P. Korolev RSC Energia

At Baikonur launch site the preparations continue for the launch of Progress M-09M cargo vehicle under the International Space Station program. Progress M-09M cargo vehicle fuelled with propellant components and compressed gases was delivered to the Spacecraft Assembly and Testing Facility for final processing operations.