The Progress MS-02/ISS-63P cargo craft was successfully sent on its way to dock with the International Space Station after its Soyuz 2-1a launch on 31 March 2016. The launch took place at 1624 GMT from the Baikonur Cosmodrome near Tyuratam in Kazakhstan. After a two day approach the Russian cargo spacecraft Progress MS-02 docked with the International Space Station at 1758 GMT on 2 April 2016. The vehicle rendezvous with the ISS and docking to a port on the Zvezda module was carried out in automatic mode.
Progress MS-02 delivered about 2.5 metric tons of cargo, including fuel, oxygen, water and gas supplies, equipment for scientific experiments, medical support supplies, as well as containers with food rations, and spare parts etc. In addition, a very small satellite called the Tomsk TPU-120 was also carried which will be released during a spacewalk. The satellite was partly constructed using 3-D printing and carries solar panels, battery, on-board radio equipment and other scientific instruments. The spacecraft is built by the Tomsk Polytechnic University with support from RSC Energia.
The freighter is the second example of a new Progress MS class which carries a new command and telemetry system and the Kurs-NA rendezvous system. The spacecraft also has more micrometeoroid protection and digital control units which will also be used on the new Soyuz M class of manned spacecraft.
Updated on 6 April 2016
