Progress M-49 Launched to the International Space Station
May 25, 2004. Baikonur Cosmodrome: In compliance with the International Space Station (ISS)
flight program and obligations of the Russian Party under
the ISS Project rocket and space complex Soyuz-U/Progress
M-49 was launched at 16:34:23 Moscow summer time from Baikonur
cosmodrome.
The aim of the launch is to deliver necessary cargoes to
the ISS to continue operation of the Orbital Complex and
create habitation and working conditions for the crew.
According to the ISS assembly program, the Progress M-49
flight designation is 14P.
The refueling compartment of Progress M-49 contains about
640 kg of propellant, 28 kg of oxygen, 20 kg of air, 420
kg of potable water. Its cargo compartment accommodates
about 1.2 tons of dry cargoes including food products, equipment
and aids for the station onboard systems, individual protection
gear, sets of crew procedures, video and photo equipment,
parcels for the crew, structural elements, payloads for
the US On-Orbit Segment, hardware and materials for space
experiments.
The vehicle was launched into orbit with maximum altitude
of 252.0 km, minimum altitude of 193.1 km, period of revolution
of 88.65 min and inclination of 51.66?.
The vehicle onboard systems operate normally.
The vehicle and ISS docking is scheduled on 27 May 2004
with berthing to the axial docking port of Russian Service
Module Zvezda. The estimated time of the docking assembly
contact is 17:55. Cargo vehicle Progress M1-11, that has
been operating as part of the Orbital Complex since 31 May
2004, cleared the docking port on 24 May 2004. This vehicle
that was transferred to a safe distance after the docking
will continue its on-orbit flight during the following ten
days under a permanent control of MCC-M specialists, supporting
performance of the science experiments under the autonomous
flight program. Following that, it will be transferred to
the descent trajectory and deorbit in the assigned area
of the Pacific Ocean.
click on image to enlarge
The decision about complex Soyuz-U/ProgressM-49 launch was
taken by the Government Board (co-chairmen: N.F. Moiseev,
V.A. Grin’) based on the conclusion of the Technical Management
about the readiness of the Space Complex and ground infrastructure
components involved in the ISS program implementation.
The prelaunch processing was directly led by the Technical
Management (Yu.P. Semenov, Technical Manager of Russian
Piloted Space Programs, General Designer of S.P. Korolev
RSC Energia, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences).
The vehicle and Space Station flight is under control of
the Lead Operational Control Team (LOCT) located in the
Mission Control Center in Moscow (MCC-M), Korolev, Moscow
area (Flight Director is pilot-cosmonaut V.A. Soloviev,
S.P. Korolev RSC Energia).
The ISS Orbital Complex operates in orbit with the following
parameters: maximum altitude of 385.6 km, minimum altitude
of 359.5 km, period of revolution of 91.8 min and inclination
of 51.65?. The Russian Segment consists of Functional Cargo
Module Zarya, Service Module Zvezda, docking module Pirs,
manned transport spacecraft Soyuz TMA-4. The US On-orbit
Segment consists of modules Unity and Destiny, airlock Quest,
multi-link truss structure with deployed solar arrays. Total
mass of the ISS is about 175.2 tons.
According to the telemetry information and reports made
by the ISS Expedition 9 crew (ISS-9): Russian cosmonaut
Gennady Padalka (commander) and US astronaut Mike Fincke
(flight engineer), all station onboard systems operate in
the designed modes.
The Space Station is ready for docking with a new cargo
vehicle.
