Two separate International Space Station (ISS) resupply missions were launched over the weekend. The first was launched aboard a Soyuz-FG from Kazakhstan and the second aboard a Northrop Grumman Antares from Wallops Island in Virginia.
The Soyuz-FG carrying a Russian Progress freighter lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 18:14 UTC on Friday, November 16. The launch was the first time a Soyuz-FG had flown following the October Soyuz MS-10 mishap. After a successful launch and deployment, Russian and NASA officials confirmed they had acquired telemetry from the Progress MS-10 spacecraft.
Just two days after being launched, the Progress MS-10 spacecraft successfully rendezvoused with the ISS. The spacecraft docked with the station’s Zvezda service module at 19:28 on November 18. Its cargo included 2,495 kilograms (5,500 pounds) of supplies including fuel, provisions, and scientific experiments.
The second ISS resupply mission was launched aboard an Antares rocket from Wallops Island in Virginia at 09:01 UTC on November 17. Approximately nine minutes after launch, a Cygnus spacecraft (dubbed the SS John Young) separated from the rocket’s upper stage for its two-day chase of the orbiting international outpost.
The Cygnus spacecraft carried 3,265 kilograms (7,200 pounds) of scientific experiments and provisions for the station’s crew. The spacecraft rendezvoused with the station and was captured by the Canadarm2 robotic arm 1t 10:28 UTC this morning. It was then installed successfully by ground controllers to the bottom of the station’s Unity module.
The ISS now has four spacecraft docked to various modules. In addition to the Progress MS-10 and the SS John Young, the Soyuz MS-09 is docked with the Rassvet module, and the Progress MS-09 is docked with the Pirs module.
