Russian cargo ship blows up on way to Space Station

William Atkins
Thursday, 25 August 2011 05:37

Science - Space

An unmanned Russian Progress supply ship blew up on Wednesday, August 24, 2011, when the upper stage of its Soyuz-U booster malfunctioned 5 minutes, 20 seconds after launch. It was on its way to the International Space Station.

 

The launch, which took place at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, was carrying 2.9 tons of supplies and equipment for the crew of the International Space Station.

This was the first re-supply ship to be sent into space for the International Space Station since the U.S. space shuttle program was terminated by NASA earlier this summer, in July 2011.

Specifically, the spacecraft that blew up was a Progress M-12M/44P.

And, it was loaded with 2,050 pounds of propellant, 110 pounds of oxygen, 926 pounds of water, and 2,777 pounds of dry cargo.

According to the CBS Space News story Unmanned Progress supply ship lost during launch to space station (UPDATED), 'While the supply train to the space station is critical for supporting a full-time crew of six, the lab complex currently is in good shape, flush with supplies and equipment delivered to the outpost aboard the shuttle Atlantis in July."

However, a concern is very much present. CBS states, 'But engineers want to find out what went wrong with the Soyuz-U upper stage as soon as possible because it is virtually identical to the third stage used by Russia's manned Soyuz spacecraft."

"Launch of the next manned Soyuz mission is targeted for Sept. 22.'