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Old December 28th 04, 06:46 PM
Jacques van Oene
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Default Progress M-51 transport cargo vehicle docking to the International Space Station

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE
about Progress M-51 transport cargo vehicle docking to
the International Space Station

December 26, 2004. Korolev, Moscow Area.

Following a two-day free flight in near-earth orbit Russian Progress M-51
cargo vehicle launched on December 24, 2004 from Baikonur cosmodrome docked
to the International Space Station (ISS).
At 02:57:47 Moscow time the vehicle came into contact with the station axial
docking port of the Russian Service Module Zvezda. The vehicle rendezvous
with the on-orbit complex ISS, fly-about and docking were performed in the
automatic mode. During the vehicle closing to the station, i.e. final
approach, the vehicle and Space Station were within the Russian ground site
coverage.
The Expedition crew ISS-10 consisting of Russian cosmonaut Salizhan Sharipov
(flight engineer) and US astronaut Leroy Chiao (commander) monitored the
implementation of the approach and docking processes.
Progress M-51 delivered about 2.55 kg of various cargoes including
propellant components, water supplies, as well as 1.35 kg of dry cargoes
consisting of foodstuff, parcels for the crew, structural elements, payloads
for the USOS, hardware and materials for space experiments.
The ISS-10 crew will have to unload the vehicle and accommodate the
delivered cargoes on the Station, and load the wasted materials and
equipment to the vehicle.
The on-orbit complex ISS of more than 183.8 tons performs a near-orbit
flight with the following parameters: maximum altitude of 372.9 km, minimum
altitude of 351.6 km, period of revolution of 91.5 min.
The Russian Segment is made up of the Functional Cargo Module Zarya, Service
Module Zvezda, docking module Pirs, transport vehicles Soyuz TMA-5 and
Progress M-51. The US On-Orbit Segment is made up of modules Unity and
Destiny, airlock Quest and multi-link truss structure with deployed solar
arrays. The vehicles and Station modules onboard systems operate in a design
mode.
The ISS flight is under control of the Lead Operational Control Team (LOCT)
of the Mission Control Center in Moscow (MCC-M), Korolev, Moscow area in
interaction with the US Mission Control Center in Houston (MCC-H). The
Flight is directed by V.A. Soloviev, RSC Energia Deputy General Designer,
pilot-cosmonaut.
During the cargo vehicle docking to the ISS the MCC-M was attended by:
Yu.P. Semenov, Technical Manager of Russian Piloted Space Programs,
Academician of RAS (General Designer of S.P. Korolev RSC Energia), V.A.
Grin', co-chairmen of the State Board, A.B. Krasnov, Head of Piloted
Programs Department, Roskosmos, and other representatives of the Russian
Federal Space Agency, representatives of NASA, allied space enterprises and
organizations, which took part in the manufacturing, prelaunch processing
and launch of Progress M-51 and control of the Russian Segment of the
Station.
Upon completion of the docking Yu.P. Semenov, A.B.Krasnov, V.A. Soloviev
answered the questions of journalists of the Russian and foreign information
agencies and TV companies who were present at MCC-M.


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Jacques :-)

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