Wikipedia

Progress MS-18

Progress MS-18 (Russian: Прогресс МC-18), Russian production No. 447, identified by NASA as Progress 79P, was a Progress spaceflight operated by Roscosmos to resupply the International Space Station (ISS). This was the 170th flight of a Progress spacecraft.

Progress MS-18
Progress MS-18 after undocking
NamesProgress 79P
Mission typeISS resupply
OperatorRoscosmos
COSPAR ID2021-098A Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.49379Edit this on Wikidata
Mission duration216 days, 11 hours and 51 minutes
Spacecraft properties
SpacecraftProgress MS-18 No. 447
BusProgress MS
ManufacturerEnergia
Launch mass7,000 kg (15,000 lb)
Payload mass2,439 kg (5,377 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date28 October 2021, 00:00:32 UTC[1]
RocketSoyuz-2.1a
Launch siteBaikonur, Site 31/6
ContractorRKT Progress
End of mission
DisposalDeorbited
Decay date1 June 2022, 11:51 UTC
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric orbit
RegimeLow Earth orbit
Inclination51.65°
Docking with ISS
Docking portZvezda aft
Docking date30 October 2021, 01:31:19 UTC
Undocking date1 June 2022, 08:03 UTC
Time docked214 days, 6 hours and 32 minutes
Payload
Cargo and LCCS part of MLM Means of Attachment of Large payloads
Mass2,439 kg (5,377 lb) [2]
Pressurised1,509 kg (3,327 lb)
Fuel470 kg (1,040 lb)
Gaseous40 kg (88 lb)
Water420 kg (930 lb)

History

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The Progress MS is an uncrewed freighter based on the Progress-M featuring improved avionics. This improved variant first launched on 21 December 2015. It has the following improvements:[3][4][5][6]

  • New external compartment that enables it to deploy satellites. Each compartment can hold up to four launch containers. First time installed on Progress MS-03.
  • Enhanced redundancy thanks to the addition of a backup system of electrical motors for the docking and sealing mechanism.
  • Improved Micrometeoroid (MMOD) protection with additional panels in the cargo compartment.
  • Luch Russian relay satellites link capabilities enable telemetry and control even when not in direct view of ground radio stations.
  • GNSS autonomous navigation enables real time determination of the status vector and orbital parameters dispensing with the need of ground station orbit determination.
  • Real time relative navigation thanks to direct radio data exchange capabilities with the space station.
  • New digital radio that enables enhanced TV camera view for the docking operations.
  • The Ukrainian Chezara Kvant-V on board radio system and antenna/feeder system has been replaced with a Unified Command Telemetry System (UCTS).
  • Replacement of the Kurs A with Kurs NA digital system.

Launch

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On 3 February 2021, Roskosmos approved the updated flight program to the International Space Station for 2021, highlighted with the addition of two permanent modules to the Russian Segment of the outpost. A short tourist visit to the ISS at the end of the year also got the green light.[7]

A Soyuz-2.1a launched Progress MS-18 to the International Space Station from Baikonur Site 31 on 28 October 2021 on a two-day, 36 orbit rendezvous profile.[8][9][10] If the air leak repairs planned for Zvezda's PrK chamber (delivery of sealing patches aboard Progress MS-16 in February 2021) were successful, then 3 hours 20 minutes after the launch Progress MS-18 would have attempted to automatically dock to Zvezda's aft port.[7]

The vehicle docked to the aft port of the Zvezda Service Module (SM), on 30 October 2021, at 01:31:19 UTC, and was planned to remain in orbit for 215 days, supporting the Expedition 66 mission aboard the ISS.[11]

Cargo

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The Progress MS-18 spacecraft was loaded with 2,439 kg (5,377 lb) of cargo, with 1,509 kg (3,327 lb) of this being dry cargo.[2]

  • Dry cargo: 1,509 kg (3,327 lb)
  • Fuel: 470 kg (1,040 lb)
  • Oxygen: 40 kg (88 lb)
  • Water: 420 kg (930 lb)

Means of attachment of large payloads

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It delivered LCCS part of MLM Means of Attachment of Large payloads (Sredstva Krepleniya Krupnogabaritnykh Obyektov, SKKO) work platform to ISS.[12][13][14] Coupled with SCCS part of this MLM outfitting,[15] delivered to ISS by Progress MS-21, during VKD-55 spacewalk, it was transferred over to Nauka and installed it at the ERA base point facing aft where ERA use to be when it was launched, where it will be used to mount payloads on the exterior of Nauka module.[16][17][18][19]

Undocking and decay

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The Progress MS-18 remained docked at the station until 1 June 2022, when it departed with trash and re-entered the Earth's atmosphere for destruction over the South Pacific Ocean.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Progress MS-17 to make 24 hour long relocation at space station". NASASpaceFlight.com. 20 October 2021. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  2. ^ a b "Russian Progress supply ship poised for launch from Baikonur". Spaceflight Now. 27 October 2021. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  3. ^ Krebs, Gunter (1 December 2015). "Progress-MS 01-19". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
  4. ^ "Progress MS-18". NSSDCA. NASA. 10 February 2021. Retrieved 15 February 2021.   This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  5. ^ Zak, Anatoly. "Progress-MS". RussianSpaceWeb.com. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
  6. ^ Blau, Patrick (1 December 2015). "Progress MS Spacecraft". Spaceflight101.com. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  7. ^ a b Zak, Anatoly (9 February 2021). "ISS set for the Russian expansion". RussianSpaceWeb.com. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
  8. ^ Zak, Anatoly (10 October 2020). "Planned Russian space missions in 2021". RussianSpaceWeb.com. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  9. ^ "Launch Schedule". Spaceflight Now. 31 August 2020. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
  10. ^ "Status - Progress MS-18". NextSpaceflight. 1 September 2020. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
  11. ^ "Russian cargo freighter docks with International Space Station". Spaceflight Now. 30 October 2021. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
  12. ^ "Год «Науки» на МКС".
  13. ^ "Russia to bump its ISS crew back to three". www.russianspaceweb.com. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
  14. ^ Roscosmos. "MLM-U Structure diagram". Everydayastronaut.com.
  15. ^ Navin, Joseph (17 November 2022). "Three spacewalks completed across two days on two space stations". NASASpaceFlight.com. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  16. ^ Garcia, Mark (16 November 2022). "Cosmonauts Prep for Thursday Spacewalk, Dragon Targets Monday Launch". blogs.nasa.gov. NASA. Archived from the original on 10 December 2022. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
  17. ^ Lavelle, Heidi (17 November 2022). "Cosmonauts Begin First in a Series of Spacewalks for Station Maintenance". blogs.nasa.gov. NASA. Archived from the original on 24 March 2023. Retrieved 17 November 2022.
  18. ^ Garcia, Mark (17 November 2022). "Cosmonauts Finish Spacewalk for Work on Science Module". blogs.nasa.gov. NASA. Archived from the original on 29 March 2023. Retrieved 17 November 2022.
  19. ^ Pearlman, Robert Z. (17 November 2022). "Russian cosmonauts complete station spacewalk to ready radiator for move". Space.com. Archived from the original on 31 March 2023. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
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