A vital resupply mission to the International Space Station (ISS) successfully launched on September 11th. A Russian Soyuz rocket, carrying the Progress 93 cargo spacecraft, blasted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 11:54 a.m. EDT. This unmanned freighter is packed with over 2.8 tons of essential supplies for the Expedition 73 crew currently aboard the ISS.
The launch proceeded flawlessly. The Soyuz's side boosters separated after 1 minute and 58 seconds, followed by the separation of the primary booster shortly after. The upper stage then successfully placed Progress 93 into its designated orbit.
Progress 93 is scheduled to dock with the ISS's Zvezda service module on September 13th at 1:27 p.m. EDT. This crucial docking will deliver much-needed food, propellant, and other vital supplies to the astronauts. NASA will provide live coverage of the docking event, beginning at 12:30 p.m. EDT on September 13th.
The Progress 93 spacecraft is designed for a single mission. After approximately six months docked to the ISS, it will depart carrying waste materials. Upon re-entry into Earth's atmosphere, both the freighter and its contents will burn up harmlessly.
This Russian resupply mission follows closely on the heels of another significant cargo delivery. Northrup Grumman's Cygnus NG-23 mission, launching aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on September 14th, will add to the vital resources available to the ISS crew. Unlike Progress and Cygnus, SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft is reusable, landing in the ocean under parachutes after completing its mission.
The continuous flow of supplies from various agencies is essential for maintaining the ongoing research and operations on the International Space Station, a testament to international collaboration in space exploration.
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Originally published at: https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/russia-progress-93-cargo-spacecraft-iss
